When you think about the Matrix, do you only think about the first movie? The one where Keanu Reeves and his crew of rebels take on an evil artificial intelligence that wants to turn humans into batteries?
But there is a lot more to this series than just the original film. In fact, it's been almost twenty years since the release of The Matrix and yet many people still don't know what happened in later instalments!
The Wachowski's originally envisioned six films for this franchise: three prequels and three sequels. However, they ended up making four movies total before they said goodbye to Neo (Keanu Reeves) forever with 2013's The Matrix Revolutions.
So if you're wondering what happened after Neo returned to the real world from The Matrix, then you're definitely not alone!
There are just so many questions that fans have been dying to know the answers to for years!
Like:
What happened to Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) after she was shot by an Agent?
Did anyone ever find Zee (Harold Perrineau)?
And what was really up with that Architect guy anyways?
Well, luckily these questions and more will all apparently be answered in the upcoming series called The Matrix Revisited. But until this series is released on Warner's digital channel Stage 6, let's take a trip down memory lane and see why people might actually be relieved that The Matrix isn't coming back to the big screen in any way, shape or form.
The Matrix is a science fiction action film written and directed by the Wachowski Sisters. It stars Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, and Joe Pantoliano. The film was first released in the United States on March 31, 1999.
“Remember, all I’m offering is the truth. Nothing more."
- Morpheus, ‘The Matrix' (1999).
The film tells the story of Neo, a computer hacker who learns that the world he lives in is actually a simulated reality created by machines in order to keep humans docile while their bodies are used as an energy source. After being freed from the Matrix, Neo joins a group of rebels led by Morpheus in order to fight the machines and free humanity.
Neo's powers always made little sense to me. He could stop bullets, but he was still physically weaker than humans who had been "unplugged" from the Matrix. Why did he need to learn martial arts if he had these powerful abilities? And why did he always have to struggle against Smith? If Neo was so powerful, why couldn't he just beat him easily?
The dialogue in the Matrix sequels was often cringe-worthy and cringe-inducingly cheesy. In The Matrix Reloaded, for example, Neo has a conversation with the Oracle in which she tells him that he needs to choose between saving Trinity or the world. Trinity ends up getting shot anyways, so it's not like Neo's choice really mattered in the end.
“You take the blue pill - the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. ”
- Morpheus, ‘The Matrix' (1999).
In The Matrix Revolutions, Neo delivers a ridiculously cheesy monologue in which he talks about how he's going to save the world. He says things like "I can't tell you what it means, but I know it's right" and "I'm going to show them that I am more than just a machine". So, so bad.
These days, we're all about the dark and gritty reboots of classic properties like Power Rangers and Ghostbusters, but do we really want or need another Matrix movie?
The answer is no. No we do not. We already saw what happens when you make a sequel to this franchise; it was called The Matrix Reloaded, followed by The Matrix Revolutions, neither of which were any good compared to the original film.
The Wachowskis' vision for this series has been anything but clear over the years because they kept recycling the same plot points in each new instalment with slightly different characters.
"You take the red pill - you stay in wonderland, and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes."
- Morpheus, ‘The Matrix' (1999).
The Wachowskis originally envisioned six films for this franchise: three prequels and three sequels. However, they ended up making four movies total before they said goodbye to Neo (Keanu Reeves) forever with 2013's The Matrix Revolutions.
So if you're wondering what happened after Neo returned to the real world from The Matrix, then you're definitely not alone! According to Bill Pope, who served as the cinematographer on every film in the trilogy, a fourth film was in the works until early 2003.
Pope said that The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions were originally written as parts one and two of a three-part adaptation of "The War Against the Machines," and that he and the Wachowskis had already discussed some preliminary ideas for a third film. But as time went on, they all agreed it would be better if they left the franchise as a trilogy, rather than stretching things out with another sequel.
“What is 'real'? How do you define 'real'? If you’re talking about what you can feel, what you can smell, taste and see then 'real' is simply electrical signals interpreted by your brain.”
- Morpheus, ‘The Matrix' (1999).
However, there is no word yet on whether any additional films will actually happen now that Zak Penn has been brought on to write a treatment for this docu-series! Until we know more though, let's just be thankful that The Matrix isn't returning for another movie instalment any time soon.
Now that we've all had some time to actually think this through, wouldn't you agree that the Wachowskis need to stop mucking up their legacy with another sequel?
And who knows? Maybe if they keep pushing forward on projects like Sense8 and Jupiter Ascending, they might finally get back on track.
Right now though, it's probably best if everyone just takes a step back for a moment and lets things simmer down before getting excited about more new films in this franchise.
