While Hugo Weaving's Agent Smith was the most popular and prominent "Agent" in the MATRIX films, there were a bunch of other Agents featured in the initial trilogy and the ANIMATRIX animated anthology. One of those was Agent Johnson, played by stuntman / action regular Daniel Bernhardt – and now it has been confirmed that, although Weaving will not be reprising the role of Agent Smith for the currently-in-production THE MATRIX 4, Bernhardt is back as Agent Johnson.
Bernhardt joins a cast that includes fellow returning actors Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, and Jada Pinkett Smith, as well as franchise newcomers Neil Patrick Harris, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jessica Henwick, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Eréndira Ibarra, Jonathan Groff, Andrew Caldwell, Ellen Hollman, Brian J. Smith, Max Riemelt, and Chris Sean Reid.
Lana Wachowski is directing THE MATRIX 4 from a screenplay she wrote with Aleksandar Hemon and David Mitchell.
I can't say I have any memory of Agent Johnson, it has been a long time since I have watched the MATRIX movies, but I'm glad to hear that Neo will be fighting an enemy who will be familiar to fans of the series. In the years between MATRIX sequels, Reeves and Bernhardt also fought each other in JOHN WICK.
Wachowski had originally asked Weaving to return for the new film, but when they ran into scheduling issues she decided that his presence wouldn't be required on set after all.
THE MATRIX 4 is heading toward an April 1, 2022 release.
