Why did Will Smith turn down The Matrix? Actor posts cryptic reel on Instagram about Neo's role

Will Smith teased that he could have been part of the movie The Matrix and played the role of Neo, which ultimately went to Keanu Reeves, instead of starring in Wild Wild West. On Instagram on Monday, January 6, Smith shared a cryptic video referencing him turning down the role. The clip featured typed-out words on a computer, with the message that reads:

"In 1997, the Wachowskis offered Will Smith the role of 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?"

The words were typed out in red print that is reminiscent of the original Matrix movie, while eerie music plays behind it. The first message was then followed by:

"Wake up, Will... The Matrix has you..."

As the video said, Smith turned down The Matrix for Wild Wild West thinking that the latter was the best fit for him at the time. The Focus actor's Monday post, however, sent the online world into a frenzy, with fans, followers, and fellow artists flooding the comment section with their excitement at the idea. With The Matrix 5 confirmed by Warner Bros in April 2024, three-time Grammy-winning rapper, Chance the Rapper, commented, "Make it happen."

However, for those excited about Smith possibly being in the fifth installment of the franchise, Warner Bros. confirmed via The Wrap on January 6 that Will Smith's video message has "nothing" to do with the studio.

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Will Smith previously shared the reason for turning down The Matrix

As Will Smith's Monday Instagram post mentioned, he turned down the opportunity to star as Neo in The Matrix franchise. It ultimately became Keanu Reeves' role in the 1999 action sci-fi, which birthed three sequels and one animated spinoff.

However, his latest video wasn't the first time the Hollywood actor opened up about turning down the role. In 2019, he uploaded a storytime video on YouTube titled Why I Turned Down The Matrix to explain his decision.

"This is one of them stories I'm not proud of, but it's the truth...I did turn down Neo in The Matrix."

The Gemini Man star explained that the Wachowskis went to him for the pitch, but it wasn't impressive, saying:

"They [the Wachowskis] had only done one movie. They did a movie, and I think it was like Bound, and they came in and they made a pitch for The Matrix, and as it turns out, they're geniuses. But there's a fine line in a pitch meeting between genius and what I experienced in the meeting."

Smith then went on to reenact the sisters' apparently less-than-impressive pitch, saying:

"Dude, we're thinking, like, like imagine you're in a fight and you, like, jump, imagine if you could stop in the middle of the jump. But then, people could see around you, 360 while you're jumping, stop jumping, right?"

Smith added that part of The Wachowskis' pitch was them inventing the cameras that could supposedly "see the whole jump while you stop in the middle of the jump." After that pitch, he said that he picked Wild Wild West. Smith concluded saying that he wasn't proud of it.

Will Smith, however, had wonderful words to say about Keanu Reeves, whom he said was "perfect" in the movie, and so was Laurence Fishburne. He further said that he "probably would have messed" the movie or "ruined it," so he said he did everyone a favor by turning it down.