‘Matrix’ Mashup: Imagine if Will Smith Hadn’t Turned Down the Role of Neo
Everyone knows Keanu Reeves starred in “The Matrix.” What this video presupposes is…maybe he didn’t? YouTube user The Unusual Suspect has reimagined the Wachowskis’ science-fiction blockbuster with Will Smith in the lead role of Neo, as the part was originally offered to the “Fresh Prince of Bel Air” and “Bad Boys” star. Watch below and try not to say “whoa.”
Featuring clips from the original film with shots of Smith woven in, the video acts as a trailer of sorts for this alternate-history (or -future?) version of “The Matrix.” Scenes from such films as “Men in Black” and especially “I, Robot” are used to create the illusion, often quite seamlessly; it helps that “I, Robot” is another sci-fi/action hybrid that calls on Smith to fire weapons and appear as though he’s just learned some grand truth the rest of us will never know.
READ MORE: ‘The Matrix’ Reboot: Warner Bros. ‘In Early Stages’ of New Take on Iconic Franchise
Like many fans, the video ignores the existence of both “The Matrix Reloaded” and “The Matrix Revolutions,” which were successful at the box office but didn’t endear themselves to viewers the way the original did.
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