Fans are confused about why Laurence Fishburne isn’t a part of The Matrix Resurrections, even though the film is clearly still interested in the character he popularized, Morpheus.

In the new trailer for The Matrix Resurrections, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s character looks and acts like Morpheus. However, his character hasn’t been identified officiaally, leaving fans to speculate if Abdul-Mateen is playing a younger version of the character or a different character entirely.

Comic Book Resources documented fan reactions that included anger over Fishburne not being included in the story.

“Pretty bummed Laurence Fishburne isn’t in the new Matrix,” wrote entertainment writer Richard Newby on Twitter. “There will probably be an explanation and it seems like Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is playing a new iteration of Morpheus. But Fishburne is my favorite part of that OG series. The fact he wasn’t contact at all makes me sad.”

IndieWire reports that it has been confirmed that Fishburne won’t take part in the film. The outlet quoted several outlets Fishburne had spoken to in 2020 about not being in any future Matrix films. He told Entertainment Tonight, “I have not been asked to join them. I am hopeful that it will be wonderful and it will satisfy audiences that people will love it.” He also told Collider that he understands why people keep asking him if he’s involved with the Matrix franchise, saying, “It would make sense that people would ask me that, so it doesn’t get old. I am not in the next Matrix movie, and you’d have to ask Lana Wachowski why, because I don’t have an answer for that.”

Currently, fans still don’t have an answer as to why Fishburne wasn’t asked to reprise his role, so hopefully the film will give an explanation within Abdul-Mateen’s storyline. The film will come to theaters and HBO Max Dec. 22.

Blavity EntertainmentFilmLaurence FishburneShadow and ActThe Matrix Resurrections