The iconic 1999 sci-fi action movieThe Matrixwas famously pitched to Will Smith in the late 1990s in the hope that he would play Neo, and if he had accepted the role, it could have had a major impact on another major role in the movie.The Wachowskis' high-level conceptwas brought to many of the film industry’s top up-and-comers, including Brad Pitt, Nicolas Cage, and Leonardo DiCaprio, all of whomturned the role down the role of Neofor different reasons. At one point, they even considered a female Neo so that Sandra Bullock might take the role.
They also pitched the concept to Will Smith, who passed on the role in favor of the much-maligned action comedyWild Wild Westinstead.Smith admitted on his YouTube channelin 2019 that the main reason he passed on the role was that he didn’t quite grasp what the Wachowskis were pitching, along with some lingering trepidation from being cast in back-to-back sci-fi movies (Independence Dayin 1996,Men In Blackin 1997). Smith noted that if he had acceptedthe powers of Neo, then it was likely that the character of Morpheus would have passed to a different actor.
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Smith Believes They Would Not Have Cast Two Black Actors
As he mentioned on his YouTube channel, Will Smith believes that if he had been cast as Neo, then the role of Morpheus likely would not have gone to Laurence Fishburne, as he thought it unlikely they’d cast black actors in both key roles. He also noted thatthe Wachowskis were looking at Val Kilmer, who was also at the height of his popularity in the late 1990s, to play Morpheus. It’s been reported that Kilmer apparently turned down both the roles of Morpheus and Neo, but there is, of course, debate about how the situation unfolded in reality.
1999
$63 million
$467.6 million
83%
85%
2003
$150 million
$741.8 million
74%
72%
$427 million
33%
60%
2021
$190 million
$159 million
63%
Kilmer was not the only actor to be approached about playing Morpheus. In the decades since the movie’s release, it’s been reported thatSamuel L. Jackson, Gary Oldman, and Russell Crowe were all engaged in various levels of conversation about the role, but obviously nothing progressed very far with any of them. The role ultimately went to Laurence Fishburne, who earned a Saturn Award nomination for his performance as the iconic captain of theNebuchadnezzarwith one ofThe Matrix’s most ultra-cool costume outfits.
Val Kilmer Would Have Made A Very Interesting Morpheus In The Matrix
Kilmer Has Proven He Can Play Larger-Than-Life Characters
If the role didn’t go to Laurence Fishburne, who wound up being the perfect fit, Val Kilmer would have been a fascinating choice for the role. By the time he was in consideration for the role of Morpheus,Kilmer had established himself as one of Hollywood’s most interesting leading men. He was at the height of his popularity at the time, having played iconic roles like Iceman inTop Gun, Jim Morrison inThe Doorsbiopic, and Doc Holliday in the beloved classic WesternTombstone.
For his role as Jim Morrison inThe Doors, Val Kilmer’s method acting was so intense that he reportedly needed therapy to help him move on from the role after the movie was filmed.
Despite many of his most famous characters being notably arrogant and abrasive, Kilmer’s versatility as an actor could have been a great fit for the understated wise man of Zion. Morpheus is a larger-than-life character, and Kilmer had proven he was just as capable of nailing a subtle and controlled character like Bruce Wayne (Batman Forever) as easily as he could create a unique and powerful portrayal like he used for Doc Holliday. It’s all but certain thatKilmer’s unique personal style would have yielded an interesting version of Morpheus, although likely not better than what audiences got.
It’s Impossible To Imagine The Matrix Without Laurence Fishburne’s Morpheus
Morpheus May Be Even More Iconic Than Neo
Keanu Reeves' performance as Neo is obviously one of the most widely-recognized character/actor associations in pop culture, but it’s possible that Laurence Fishburne’s turn as Morpheus is even more iconic. Given that Morpheus is the source of exposition for much of the film, many of the most recognizable quotes and scenes are driven byFishburne’s mastery of the line between calm and reserved wisdom and fervent, intense belief.The Matrixis built upon scenes like his tour of the Matrix with Neo, his capture and escape at the hands of Agent Smith, and his initial phone call to Neo.
Indeed, it’s impossible to imagineThe Matrixwithout the steady yet screen-dominating presence of Fishburne’s Morpheus. While there are plenty of other actors who could have brought their own flair to the role, like the aforementioned Val Kilmer,many of the scenes wouldn’t have the same impact without Fishburne’s performance. As brilliant and clear as the Wachowskis' vision forThe Matrixwas, it could have wound up feeling like an entirely different movie if Will Smith and Val Kilmer had been cast as Neo and Morpheus.
