'The Matrix 4' Adds Neil Patrick Harris In A Secret Role (Yes, Really)

Here's something I'm 100% positive no one saw coming: Neil Patrick Harris has joined The Matrix 4 cast alongside Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. Harris' part remains a closely guarded secret, so we have no idea who the heck he's playing. But this is unexpected, and thus pretty interesting. More on Harris and The Matrix 4 below.

Variety broke the news about Neil Patrick Harris joining The Matrix 4 cast. Who is he playing? No idea! Perhaps he's playing the adult version of that weird kid who bent the spoon in the first movie. Or perhaps he's playing a brand new character. In any case, Harris' addition to the cast is nothing if not unique. The actor is primarily known for his roles on How I Met Your Mother, the Netflix take on A Series of Unfortunate Events, his memorable cameos in the Harold and Kumar movies, and of course, that time he hosted the Oscars and dragged the ceremony out longer than it needed to be to do a lame magic trick.

While he's more of a comedic actor, he can turn in a dramatic turn here and there. He was quite memorable as a creepy ex-boyfriend in Gone Girl, and his part as a psychic space nazi in Starship Troopers remains a highlight. In other words, Harris could be playing either a dramatic part, or some sort of comedic relief. Who knows!

In fact, we know almost nothing about The Matrix 4. Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss are both back, but Lawrence Fishburn has yet to be confirmed, which seems rather odd. Rumors abound that a younger version of Fishburn's character, Morpheus, could be appearing in the film. Could that be the part Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is playing? Maybe.

Lana Wachowski is directing, with a script by Wachowski, Aleksandar Hemon, and David Mitchel. It still seems hard to believe a new Matrix film is even happening, and the addition of Harris into the movie makes it all the more surreal. But the movie is indeed on track, and we're bound to learn even more about it – including additional casting – over the next few months. There's no official release date for The Matrix 4 yet, but there's a good chance it'll show up sometime in 2022.