12 Recent Movie Sequels That Outrageously Ruined Great Characters

Here is a case of death by recasting.

The Matrix: Resurrections does still have Agent Smith, but with the character in hiding he has taken on a new appearance, reflected in the recasting of Hugo Weaving with Jonathan Groff. Sadly, this new version of Smith is just awful.

Rather than the sinister, fiendish and gloriously entertaining baddie that Smith was in the original trilogy, this version is a neutered bore. This is mainly thanks to Groff's flat performance in the role, although the film's generally terrible script certainly didn't help either.

Jonathan Groff is a really good actor and this wasn't his fault - rather, he just wasn't quite the right man for the job. The part arguably needed a more energetic and commanding performer who could really measure up to Hugo Weaving's brilliant turn in the original Matrix trilogy.

This really was a profoundly irritating miscasting. Then again, director Lana Wachowski seemed to be crafting an intentionally frustrating movie that refused to bow down to fan demands in any way so who knows, maybe this profound sense of irritation was the desired effect.