For fans of The Matrix franchise, Keanu Reeves was the perfect actor to play the heroic protagonist Neo. Reeves brought an indispensable mix of traits to the role, including his athletic physicality for the jaw-dropping fight scenes, his calm demeanor, and an ability to convey a sense of wonder — all of which made the character of Neo one of the most iconic of all time in the realm of sci-fi cinema.
Of course, the franchise could easily have turned out very different. That’s because ‘90s megastar Will Smith, who was riding high at the time thanks to hits like Men in Black and Independence Day, famously turned down the role of Neo when the Wachowskis offered it to him. He chose instead to star in the silly Wild Wild West — a decision he’s joked about often in interviews as one of his biggest career missteps. Fate, though, clearly has a sense of humor, because Smith has kicked off 2025 by sending fans of The Matrix into a frenzy, with his name once more linked to the beloved movies.
In a cryptic 30-second clip that he shared on Monday with his 70 million Instagram followers (which you can watch here), Smith seems to suggest he’s participating in an as-yet-unannounced new Matrix project. The message Smith shared reads: “In 1997, the Wachowskis offered Will Smith the role of Neo in The Matrix. Smith turned it down. He chose Wild Wild West, believing it was a better fit for him at the time. But the question remains: What would The Matrix have been like with Will Smith as Neo? Wake up, Will … The Matrix has you.”
Details, at this point, are obviously scarce, but we can speculate about what the Fresh Prince might be driving at. A cameo appearance? A substantial role in expanding the universe, maybe even Smith playing some kind of alt-Neo in a multiverse-inspired concept? Or how about none of the above?
If you ask me, given where we are on the calendar, my suspicion is that what’s probably going on here is Will teasing a Super Bowl commercial. On a related note, one only has to briefly peruse online chatter from Matrix fans (here, here, and here, for example) to understand that the possibility of Smith’s addition to the franchise hasn’t exactly been met with open arms. For a franchise built on alternate realities and rewriting the rules of existence, having him play a role, any role, seems like it would definitely lead to a glitch in the matrix.
