The next installment in 'The Matrix' will be... a dance version from 28 Days Later's Danny Boyle

Anything is possible in this bizarre simulation we call home. Extinct animals come back to life, reality stars become president of the United States, and Oscar-winning filmmakers adapt dystopian sci-fi classics into stage productions. Variety brings word that Danny Boyle (the acclaimed director behind cinematic touchstones like Trainspotting, 28 Days Later, and Slumdog Millionaire) will transform The Matrix franchise into a live and immersive dance performance aptly-titled Free Your Mind.

While totally unexpected — who could have predicted such a thing? — the idea makes a lot of sense. After all, the celebrated and kung fu-inspired choreography employed on the original trilogy helmed by the Wachowski siblings seem like they'd translate perfectly into elegant dance moves. A collaboration with Warner Bros. Theater Ventures, composer Michael ‘Mikey J’ Asante, choreographer Kenrick ‘H2O’ Sandy, playwright  Sabrina Mahfouz, and artist Es Devlin, the project is scheduled to debut next October at the Factory International (a culture and arts-oriented center in Manchester, England that will open its doors next summer).

“Combining the hip-hop choreography of hundreds of dancers with the latest immersive design, Free Your Mind will take audiences on a thrilling journey through The Matrix and into a new realm of possibilities,” reads the synopsis published by Variety. "This eye-opening production will stretch across the building’s ultra-flexible spaces, responding to them and harnessing the collective energy of the moment."

Hailed for its groundbreaking action sequences and prescient storytelling, The Matrix told the story of a lonely computer programmer (played by Keanu Reeves) who learns that the world he knows is nothing more than a digital simulation meant to keep humans unaware that malevolent machines rule the planet. Not only that, but he's also a messianic figure prophesied to lead humanity in a revolution against the robots. It led to production of two sequels — The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions — both of which were released in 2003.

A fourth movie, The Matrix Resurrections, bowed in late 2021 with Lana Wachowski back at the helm as both director and co-writer. Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss returned to play Neo and Trinity, respectively. Jessica Henwick, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jonathan Groff, Neil Patrick Harris, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and Jada Pinkett Smith rounded out the cast. All together, the franchise has brought in over $1 billion at the global box office.

All four Matrix movies are now available to stream on HBO Max.

Looking for some sci-fi content? Check out shows like Resident Alien, Brave New World, Project Blue Book, Eureka, Heroes, Intergalactic, and more streaming now on Peacock.