‘The Flash’ and ‘The Matrix 4’ Get Release Dates From Warner Bros.

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Warner Bros. has dated the fourth “The Matrix” movie and “The Flash” for summer openings in 2021 and 2022, respectively, and pulled “Akira” off the schedule.

The studio announced Wednesday that “The Flash” would be released on July 1, 2022, while the untitled “Matrix” would open on May 21, 2021. “The Flash” will star Ezra Miller, who debuted as The Flash in Zack Snyder’s “Batman vs. Superman” with roles in “Suicide Squad and “Justice League.” Andy Muschietti, who directed the “It” movies, is attached to helm.

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Original stars Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss are returning for the fourth “Matrix” along with co-creator Lana Wachowski. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jessica Henwick, and Neil Patrick Harris will also star.

The Matrix movie is taking over the slot for “Akira,” which now has no release date. Warner Bros. has apparently ditched “Akira” for now despite the movie — which had been due to be produced by Leonardo DiCaprio — having been allocated to receive a conditional $18.5 million tax credit for shooting in California.

The California Film Commission announced in April that “Akira” was by far the biggest of the 18 tax credit allocations unveiled under the state’s Film & TV Tax Credit Program 2.0. “Akira,” based on a manga series written and illustrated by Katsuhiro Otomo and set in a post-apocalyptic 2060 Tokyo, would have generated an estimated $92 million in qualified spending.

But to receive the California credit, “Akira” would have needed to start shooting within 180 days after the announcement. That did not happen and the credit expired in October. Additionally, Taika Waititi had been attached to direct “Akira,” but announced in July that he was leaving the project in order to direct a sequel to Marvel-Disney’s his “Thor: Ragnarok.”

The Matrix sequel is scheduled to open against Lionsgate’s “John Wick: Chapter 4.” Both film will star Reeves.

Warner Bros. also announced Wednesday that it had set an Aug. 21, 2020 release date for its untitled Fred Hampton project about the co-founder of the Black Panthers. The studio also gave a title to the third movie in its Conjuring franchise — “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It,” which already had a Sept. 11, 2020 release date.

Warner Bros. is moving up its “Mortal Kombat” movie from its original March, 2021, launch to Jan. 15, 2021.

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