Matrix 4 posters are here – and a new character looks a lot like Agent Smith

The Matrix 4 posters have been released – and one character looks a lot like Agent Smith.

The posters show off new and returning faces, including Keanu Reeves' Neo, Carrie-Anne Moss's Trinity, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II's Morpheus. Jonathan Groff's mystery character, though, bears a striking resemblance to Hugo Weaving's Agent Smith. He's holding the same gun the villain used in the original trilogy, and is also wearing sunglasses – although a different type compared to Smith's. See the similarity (and the other posters) below.

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The posters above show Groff, Reeves, Moss, Abdul-Mateen, Jessica Henwick, Neil Patrick Harris, Priyanka Chopra, and Eréndira Ibarra. 

While Groff's gun and sunglasses could just mean his character is a random agent, it's also possible that he's a new version of Smith, considering The Matrix Revolutions ended with the entire simulation rebooting.

If you're hoping to see Weaving's version of Agent Smith back again, though, the actor has already confirmed that he won't be making a reappearance due to a scheduling conflict.

"I was in touch with [director] Lana Wachowski, but in the end she decided that the dates weren't going to work," he said back in 2020. "So we'd sorted the dates and then she sort of changed her mind." He added: "They're pushing on ahead without me."

Another Matrix actor who isn't returning is Laurence Fishburne – instead, Abdul-Mateen is playing the character, or at least a version of him. "I play a character who's definitely aware of the history of the Matrix [and] the history of Morpheus," the actor said recently. "This character is on a journey of self-discovery. There's a lot in our story that's about growth, defining your own path. Morpheus isn't exempt from that." He reiterated: "This is definitely a different iteration of the character."

The Matrix 4, AKA The Matrix Resurrections, also stars Christina Ricci, Jada Pinkett Smith, Lambert Wilson, and Daniel Bernhardt. 

The Matrix Resurrections arrives this December 22 to theaters and HBO Max in the US. While you wait, check out our ultimate Matrix recap to get up to speed on the franchise.