Lilly Wachowski said she is "kind of done" with The Matrix franchise during an appearance on KCRW’s The Business podcast, drawing the clearest line yet between herself and Warner Bros.’ planned fifth installment.
"Personally, I don’t want to play in that sandbox anymore," Wachowski said, according to The Wrap. The comment ends months of speculation about whether the franchise’s co-creator might re-engage with the series she helped build.
Warner Bros. announced a fifth Matrix film in 2024 with writer-director Drew Goddard attached. Goddard has been clear about one condition: he does not want to proceed without the Wachowskis’ approval. "He doesn’t want to go forward unless he gets our blessing," Wachowski said. Lana Wachowski remains attached as executive producer, but Lilly has no creative involvement.
Wachowski did not fully close the door. She indicated she and her sister might weigh in before deciding whether to extend their blessing to Goddard, leaving the project in an unresolved position. Goddard, whose credits include The Cabin in the Woods and Bad Times at the El Royale, has spoken publicly about respecting the Wachowskis’ creative legacy.
The statement arrives as Wachowski faces a separate obstacle. Her next project, a political thriller titled The Hunted, carries an all-trans cast and a $10 million budget that Hollywood has declined to finance, according to Variety. Together, the two developments describe a filmmaker whose creative ambitions sit apart from where the industry’s money is moving.
