Morpheus is in The Matrix 4 – and he’s played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II

Laurence Fishburne might not be in The Matrix 4 – officially titled The Matrix Resurrections – but that doesn’t mean Morpheus is sitting this one out.

Watchmen actor Yahya Abdul-Mateen II took to Instagram to seemingly confirm what many had already suspected: he’s playing Morpheus – or a version of him, anyway.

The clues were all there: the iconic glasses, the long coats, and offering Keanu Reeves’ Neo the choice between red and blue pills oncemorea. Now, Abdul-Mateen’s "MORPHEUS" caption will simultaneously clear things up and confuse matters further.

For his part, Fishburne confirmed back in 2020 that he wouldn’t be appearing in The Matrix Resurrections, nor was he asked to.

"I have not been invited," he told New York Magazine, via The Wrap. "Maybe that will make me write another play. I wish them well. I hope it’s great."

Of course, speculation will persist, and many will still believe that Fishburne will return in some way, shape or form. It also calls into question whether The Matrix Resurrections is a ‘classic’ sequel, or if there isn’t more trickery going on just out of sight. To muddy the waters further, Fishburne’s Morpheus seemingly died in canonical tie-in video game sequel The Matrix Online.

Elsewhere, fans have already been busy theorizing about the first Matrix Resurrections trailer. One of the most prominent early pieces of speculation is that Priyanka Chopra Jonas’ unnamed character is actually someone from the original trilogy.

The Matrix Resurrections is set for release in cinemas and on HBO Max on December 22. While we wait, follow us down the rabbit hole: here are the best sci-fi movies ever made.