The reason for Li's non-committal is, as always, money. The hefty $30-million salary of Keanu Reeves combined with the many hands in the profit-sharing pot have depleted the production's resources to the point where Li was offered $1.5 million per picture — a number way below the $9.5-million rate he's commanding. While a significant paycut is a reasonable excuse for exiting a picture, Li may come to regret the move if the "Matrix" trilogy taps into the same reverence given to the first three "Star Wars" classics. Of course, Li is one of the few people on the planet who has a legitimate chance to kick his own ass, so self-inflicted punishment is always an option.

© 1999 Warner Bros.

Speaking of Zion, a recent interview with Mr. "Whoa" himself, Keanu Reeves, revealed that we will definitely see the underground city in the next two movies. Reeves is quoted: "We'll be visiting the world of Zion and that's about all I can tell you." I'd call that a confirmation. To read the full interview, Visit the IMDb