Rumors of a new film in the “Matrix” series have persisted for years, but a new rumor suggests that the project will be coming together much sooner than expected.

Discussing Film is reporting a rumor that this new “Matrix” film is aiming to begin shooting in Chicago in early 2020. The report cites a listing for the new follow-up in Production Weekly, going by the covert title “Project Ice Cream.” “Black Panther” star Michael B. Jordan is said to be playing the film’s lead.

Franchise originators Lana and Lilly Wachowski will be returning to once again direct. As reported when these rumors first surfaced, “Ready Player One” scribe Zak Penn is said to be working on the script.

It is unclear at this stage what form the project will take in relation to the original trilogy, whether it be a sequel, reboot, prequel or something else entirely. If the original films suggested anything, it’s to expect the unexpected. Earlier rumors suggested that the film would be a prequel starring Jordan as a young Morpheus, played in the original by Laurence Fishburne.

“The Matrix” was unleashed into theaters in 1999 and went on to become a genuine phenomenon, grossing $463 million worldwide, cementing Keanu Reeves as an action star, and spawning a legion of fans – and imitators. Two sequels – “The Matrix Reloaded” and “The Matrix Revolutions” – were shot back-to-back and released in the summer and fall of 2003. While these films made good money, they are widely considered inferior to the original classic.

The story of “The Matrix” concerns a virtual reality created by an evil race of machines to subjugate humanity. Reeves’s character, “Neo,” is recruited by a group of freedom fighters who show him the truth about his world and train him to fight back against their opressors.

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Rumors suggest that Michael B. Jordan will lead a new entry in the "Matrix" series. Reuters
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