The Matrix hit theaters in 1999 and dazzled audiences with a leather-clad and gravity-defying Keanu Reeves, as he, together with Carrie-Anne Moss and Laurence Fishburne, fought in opposition to synthetic brokers of a programmed actuality with their stylized kung-fu and black leather-based outfits. Apart from wanting cool, they have been additionally working to free humanity from the grips of a machine-controlled Matrix. The Wachowski Sisters launched the now well-known crimson capsule/blue capsule metaphor for decoding the world and requested viewers to think about the similarities of our personal actuality to that of a pc simulation.

The Matrix was adopted by two extra function movies, The Matrix Reloaded (Might 2003) and The Matrix Revolutions (November 2003), after which after a 20-year break, Lana Wachowski returned to the franchise to create The Matrix Resurrections (December 2021). The franchise additionally consists of an anthology of animated brief movies launched in the midst of the trilogy, titled The Animatrix (June 2003). With 4 of the 9 shorts written by the Wachowskis themselves, The Animatrix is taken into account Matrix canon. Whereas the gathering of animated brief movies are housed throughout the anthology, the person shorts happen at varied factors alongside the Matrix timeline. And, though a few The Animatrix tales happen earlier than the occasions of the primary Matrix movie, we advise watching The Matrix earlier than diving into The Animatrix with a purpose to absolutely perceive and admire the brief tales.

As for the function movies, the fourth installment of The Matrix franchise brings again acquainted faces with Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss, nevertheless it additionally stars newcomers like Jessica Henwick, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Neil Patrick Harris, and Priyanka Chopra. Resurrections was launched in December 2021, including yet another chapter to the epic story and one which performs into the dynamics and classes discovered within the authentic trilogy. Should you’re in search of a fast overview of The Matrix franchise, we have got you lined. Beneath, we’ve organized all The Matrix franchise films and shorts by order of chronological occasions and by order of launch date for simple perusing. See you within the desert of the actual.

The Matrix Motion pictures in Order of Launch Date

And right here is each Matrix film so as of launch date:

• The Matrix – March 31, 1999
• The Matrix Reloaded – Might 15, 2003
• The Animatrix – June 3, 2003
• The Matrix Revolutions – November 5, 2003
• The Matrix Resurrections – December 22, 2021
• The Matrix 5 – TBA

All of those movies can be found now to stream on Max.

The Matrix Motion pictures in Chronological Order of Occasions

‘The Animatrix: The Second Renaissance, Half I and II’

Half I and Half II of “The Second Renaissance” inform the origin story of the rise of the machines and the downfall of man. It tells how people grew to become enslaved by the machine-created Matrix and became batteries. The story takes place circa 2090, and it consists of the creation of synthetic intelligence and the occasions of the warfare of the machines.

‘The Animatrix: A Detective Story’

“A Detective Story” mixes anime and basic movie noir whereas following Detective Ash in his pursuit throughout the Matrix of the ever-elusive web hacker often called Trinity, someday after the creation of the Matrix and earlier than she joins forces with Morpheus.

‘The Matrix’

The Matrix is the 1999 movie that introduces audiences to Neo, Trinity, and Morpheus, as they battle machines of the actual world and brokers of the Matrix, someplace across the (estimated) 12 months 2199 in accordance with the human rebels. Nevertheless, seeing because the Matrix has already gone by means of six cycles, the actual 12 months the film is ready could possibly be much more distant than that.

‘The Animatrix: The Child’s Story’

“The Child” featured on this gritty animated story is a personality seen within the second installment of the movie trilogy — a younger boy who breaks out of the Matrix and saves himself by sheer willpower alone, self-actualizing as nobody has earlier than him — and his story takes place throughout the six-month hole of time between the occasions of The Matrix and The Matrix Reloaded.

‘The Animatrix: Ultimate Flight of the Osiris’

“Ultimate Flight of the Osiris” takes place simply earlier than the occasions of The Matrix Reloaded, and it primarily focuses on the stylized simulated battle between Jue and Thadeus. Nevertheless, the mission that results in their demise entails sending a message to the human rebels concerning the Sentinel military drilling towards Zion.

‘The Matrix Reloaded’

The Matrix Reloaded happens six months after the occasions of The Matrix and follows the love story between Neo and Trinity, as Neo discovers the cyclical nature and creation of the Matrix. It picks up proper after the “Ultimate Flight of the Osiris” brief.

‘The Animatrix: Past’

“Past” happens someday throughout the occasions of the trilogy given the existence of the earlier model of the Matrix. It follows a younger woman named Yoko and a few native children who uncover a “haunted home” that’s stuffed with curious anomalies that we all know to be glitches within the Matrix.

‘The Animatrix: World File’

Much like “The Child’s Story,” “World File” incorporates a man named Dan who momentarily breaks out of the Matrix because of the power of his bodily willpower. In contrast to Child, Dan solely self-actuallizes for a second, on the pinnacle of his race, earlier than he crashes again into the Matrix. The story is ready in an unspecified time in The Matrix canon, although presumably within the earlier model of the Matrix given the presence of the Brokers.

‘The Animatrix: Program’

“Program” is a stunningly animated brief that revolves round simulated coaching set in a Samurai-like coaching program. Provided that it’s a story about rebels testing their crew’s loyalty to the trigger, it’s probably that “Program” is ready after The Matrix and earlier than The Matrix Revolutions.

‘The Matrix Revolutions’

The Matrix Revolutions picks up instantly after The Matrix Reloaded ends — concluding the trilogy of function movies and portraying Neo’s final sacrifice and try and make peace with the machines.

‘The Animatrix: Matriculated’

One other animated brief with out clear placement within the Matrix timeline, “Matriculated” follows a separate group of human rebels totally different from those we all know from Zion. They exist close to the floor of the planet and spend their time capturing machines and “awakening” them by instructing them human qualities like empathy, ardour, and playfulness. It is laborious to position this since these people could possibly be very far faraway from the Zion and Machine cycles.

‘The Matrix Resurrections’

The Matrix Resurrections is ready 60 years after the occasions of The Matrix Revolutions. We see the people have moved to a brand new metropolis, named IO, run by Niobe (Jada Pinkett-Smith). Neo’s sacrifice and reinserting himself into the matrix has led to a interval of peace but in addition has led to the creation of a a lot stronger matrix that fewer persons are keen to unplug from.

The Way forward for ‘The Matrix’

In April 2024, it was reported that Warner Bros can be shifting ahead with a fifth Matrix film, written and directed by Academy Award nominee Drew Goddard (The Martian). This new installment would mark the primary live-action film within the franchise to not be written or directed by both of the Wachowski Sisters. Nevertheless, Lana will stay on board as an govt producer. We do not but know who can be starring within the movie, however opposite to on-line chatter, Will Smith is not going to be in it.

Kacie Cooper Stotler additionally contributed to this text.