There is little doubt that Morpheus is one of the most recognizable pop-culture icons, thanks to the first Matrix movies. The character had a look that was so distinct that people would associate any bald dude in a trenchcoat with Morpheus. However, it looks like Yahya Abdul-Mateen II wanted to do something different with the character in The Matrix Resurrections. The Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom star shared how he tried to give Morpheus a makeover before production on the film began.
We already know that Yahya Abdul-Mateen II will play a younger version of Morpheus in The Matrix Resurrections. Although the character still has the trademark shaved head in the trailers and promos, the Candyman actor revealed that he tried to convince director Lana Wachowski to give Morpheus a makeover.
"Funny story; I tried to come in and knowing that we were going in a different direction and that Morpheus kind of wanted to have this rock star type of look and vibe," Abdul-Mateen shared with ComicBook.com. He then revealed how he pitched the idea to Wachowski.
"I came in with my idea, the line I pitched. I said, 'Okay, I got it. So Morpheus, he's going to have this short haircut and he's going to dye his hair red, and then we're going to do these really cool designs and these parts and things like that.' And Lana's like, 'Hmm, okay. Let's just go bald.' I'm like, 'Golly, that's just the opposite of red with parts in the fade and things like that.' So, but yes, it was collaborative. It was semi-collaborative. I'm going to be honest. It was semi-collaborative. I didn't have any control over the designs, but once I got it on, I got to style it and put the personality on and things," Abdul-Mateen concluded.
We're not surprised that Wachowski resisted the idea of making Morpheus look different in The Matrix Resurrections. After all, he doesn't seem like the kind of guy who would experiment with flashy looks considering what he has gone through in the Matrix. Still, it's great to know that Wachowski listened to the actors when they had ideas about their characters.
The Matrix Resurrections premieres in theaters and on HBO Max on December 22, 2021.
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