'The Matrix' recut with Will Smith as Neo instead of Keanu Reeves

Will Smith was cast but turned down the role.
 By 
Brian Koerber
 on 
'The Matrix' recut with Will Smith as Neo instead of Keanu Reeves
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Will Smith actually turned down the lead role of Neo in the 1999 Oscar award-winning movie The Matrix.

Now, Smith has done really well for himself without the role under his belt, and he has since revealed that he doesn't really regret skipping on the part because he "wasn't smart enough as an actor." Regardless, it's fun to imagine what the movie would be like if Smith played Neo instead of Keanu Reeves, so YouTuber The Unusual Suspect decided to recut the trailer and do just that.

The Unusual Suspect originally submitted the clip to Reddit, where it gained a lot of attention, and he later explained exactly how he accomplished the video trickery over the course of about three days.

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Brian Koerber

Brian was the Culture Editor and has been working at Mashable on the web culture desk since 2014.


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