Matrix 4 Coming Soon

[The Dark Knight]

Enter the Matrix is a so-so video game, rushed, glitchy and unpolished. However, the story is quintessential to liking the sequel films, especially Revolutions, where things become emotionally distant if you cannot invest in Niobe, which you can't do without the game. She's a character that barely has a name in Reloaded, and suddenly, in Revolutions she becomes one of if not THE most important character. Revolutions' goal is to live out the quote 'the path of the one is made by the many.' In other words, the supporting cast are more important that the trio of stars because destiny is bull (the One is just another layer of control) so you have to make it yourself. Niobe is the conduit by which we invest in the many, and we can't do that without the HEAPING PILES of characterization that occur in the game. Her encounter with the Oracle is a set up moment that shouldn't have been held as an off screen occurrence in Revolutions. We need to see it, not only does it make the moment where she makes the choice to help Neo a bigger, more affecting payoff, it also provides a nice thesis moment (a primer) for what we are about see in Revolutions.

Absolutely. ETM enriches the whole experience in a substantial way. A full play through gives more context in terms of how the story links together, obviously, but I've always been glad they included the cinematics on the Blu-ray/4K releases. And the 4K releases are mind-blowing. Do you have them? The original looks how it should. I couldn't imagine the movies looking any better. Watching them this way supercharges the fandom in ways I can't describe.

I have a lot to say about the Matrix (I'm a SUPER FAN), but those are my thoughts for now.

Excellent! Really interesting thoughts expressed here. Looking forward to reading more.

I was thinking recently about people who take the blue pill, the simple but cool simplicity of it. The comics show that the person simply does as Morpheus says in the film - they take it and wake up in their bed sometime later. It's a sedative and they absolutely remember the encounter, and can live with regret. But the opportunity is gone, and the resistance likely don't engage with them again. I like this because it's not a mind wiping situation ala what Cypher was seeking. Or alternatively, the blue pill taker thinks the encounter was a dream and "believes whatever they want to."

Club Hel, as you say, is a fetishization of sexuality. Specifically, the Merovingian's vision of human sexuality. And I find it telling that the Merovingian's conception of sexuality is BDSM, which is defined by power and control. As a program in general and the Nightmare Matrix OS in particular, BDSM is probably the only way he can get his head around the idea of sexuality. In his mind, sex has to be about one person dominating another. I don't think he would understand (or be comfortable with) the idea of two people happily and willingly, ahem, giving themselves to each other. In his worldview, it doesn't work that way. It can't work that way. Because choice is a completely unthinkable concept to him. Hence, BDSM is probably the only expression of sexuality he can envision.

Which, not to put too fine a point on it, says rather a lot about his sex life with Persephone, assuming they have such a thing. And who knows?

And of course The Merovingian gives the woman the orgasm cake and meets up with her immediately afterwards. "She wasn't kissing your face, my love."

Neil Patrick Harris recently said his role is minor, and about Lana: "I think she has a great inclusive energy and her style has shifted visually from what she had done to what she is currently doing." Sounds great to me.

Keanu has confirmed it's set after Revolutions, and he's also doubling down on the love story theme: "We have a wonderful director, Lana Wachowski, and she has written a beautiful script that is a love story, it's inspiring. It's another version, a call to wake up and it has some great action. All will be revealed."

[Gotham Knight]

Absolutely. ETM enriches the whole experience in a substantial way. A full play through gives more context in terms of how the story links together, obviously, but I've always been glad they included the cinematics on the Blu-ray/4K releases. And the 4K releases are mind-blowing. Do you have them? The original looks how it should. I couldn't imagine the movies looking any better. Watching them this way supercharges the fandom in ways I can't describe.

Haven't yet upgraded to 4K hardware, although oddly enough it was the Matrix that first interested me in doing so. I think I'm just waiting now until they add the fourth movie to an updated collectors edition so that I can snag it. As it stands, my bluray set is one of my most prized possessions. The amount of content is staggering. Sad note though, I'm mad that I got rid of the DVD sets, as the DVD artwork was beautiful.

On the subject of the comics, A life Less Empty is the story you're referring to. A nice comic, though more effective if you haven't yet seen the first movie. I do have the 20th Anniversary Edition of the comics, which includes more unreleased material than previous volumes. It was released with no fanfare, but it is hardbound, beautiful, and includes a forward from 2019 penned by Geof Darrow that mentions the return of the franchise. I cannot recommend it enough.

I think I'm as exited by the prospect that the expanded universe might return. I hear tell (from the screenwriter that prompted WB to strong arm Lana into doing another IE do the movie or WB uses this screenwriter's concept) that the ANIMATRIX is being heavily discussed for a return as a series. Also, 4 is an attempt to restart the franchise and establish a universe going forward that is bankable.

Next time I post, I'll have some story theories for 4.

[thecolorsblend]

Haven't yet upgraded to 4K hardware, although oddly enough it was the Matrix that first interested me in doing so. I think I'm just waiting now until they add the fourth movie to an updated collectors edition so that I can snag it. As it stands, my bluray set is one of my most prized possessions. The amount of content is staggering. Sad note though, I'm mad that I got rid of the DVD sets, as the DVD artwork was beautiful.

I liked the artwork for the day and date DVD releases for the sequels. The DVD mega set from 2004 or 2005 was awesome as well. However, the older I get, the less I care about BTS stuff, commentaries and the like. Just give me the movies.

On the subject of the comics, A life Less Empty is the story you're referring to. A nice comic, though more effective if you haven't yet seen the first movie.

Really? Not sure I agree with that. Watching the original in theaters back in 1999, I reasoned that Neo couldn't have been the first person that Morpheus had made contact with. There had to be other would-be recruits. And some of them had to have chosen the blue pill. I always wondered what their stories might be like and I think A Life Less Empty plays better with the original film in the background. At least for me.

I think I'm as exited by the prospect that the expanded universe might return. I hear tell (from the screenwriter that prompted WB to strong arm Lana into doing another IE do the movie or WB uses this screenwriter's concept) that the ANIMATRIX is being heavily discussed for a return as a series. Also, 4 is an attempt to restart the franchise and establish a universe going forward that is bankable.

My quibble with the comics and other stuff is (A) there was never very much of it and (B) it seemed like that material was created mostly to fill the void between the first two films.

I thought the franchise always had far more potential than a relatively small collection of (admittedly cool) comic books and a smattering of video games, most of which take place during Neo's era. The story of the first One as an ongoing title (or at least a 12 issue maxi-series) seemed so obvious and yet it's never happened afaik.

Star Wars had a virtual cascade of comics, novels, video games and all that stuff going for years. I never needed The Matrix to compete with that but something more than what we ultimately got would've been welcome, even (or especially) after Matrix Revolutions.

[Gotham Knight]

On the subject of the comics, A life Less Empty is the story you're referring to. A nice comic, though more effective if you haven't yet seen the first movie.

Really? Not sure I agree with that. Watching the original in theaters back in 1999, I reasoned that Neo couldn't have been the first person that Morpheus had made contact with. There had to be other would-be recruits. And some of them had to have chosen the blue pill. I always wondered what their stories might be like and I think A Life Less Empty plays better with the original film in the background. At least for me.

I meant from the standpoint of it being essentially promotional material, from the "ooo, ooo, what's the Matrix?" A lot of the early comics were ostensibly promos for the movie. A Life Less Empty came out a day after the film hit theaters. Don't disagree with your points at all, just saying the 'not knowing' is part of the story's (and a lot of the others) appeal.

[The Dark Knight]

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II: "My reaction to the script [was], 'Wow, people are really gonna like this. I like this. People are really gonna like this.' It's different and it's the same, you know, at the same time. It's a really, really very intelligent blend of what we want and what we may not know that we want."

https://collider.com/the-matrix-4-yahya-abdul-mateen-ii-lana-wachowski-script/

[thecolorsblend]

Arguably off-topic.

But speaking of criminally missing scenes, the bit near the end of Reloaded where the five ships get taken out by SmithBane's premature EMP has got to be somewhere in the top five. I don't believe in "Show, don't tell". I think that's almost an arbitrary rule that somebody pulled out of his ass. We don't need to see Lex Luthor's gang kill two night watchmen and steal the Kryptonite from the museum in Addis Abbiba in STM. We don't need to see Ugarte kill the Nazi couriers and steal the letters of transit in Casablanca. We don't need to see Batman do the detective work to figure out the secret behind the Joker's cosmetics poison in B89.

And the reason for we don't need to see those things is because they're not really crucial to the movies in question. You can summarize them because they need to happen but they don't really need to be seen. Those movies are about the effects of those events; not the events themselves.

But SmithBane taking out the five Zion ships needs to be seen in Reloaded since the first, what, HALF of Revolutions somewhat revolves around that plot point. Since SmithBane never got much development in Reloaded, the audience needs to see that (A) SmithBane really is Smith (B) Lock attempted a counter-attack against the machines and (C) SmithBane intentionally foiled it.

A quick little summary of events after the huge revelations of Reloaded just doesn't cut it.

Since we're talking about SmithBane, I also never approved of his reveal just before credits roll for Reloaded. He's shown upside down. SmithBane isn't terribly recognizable on the first viewing anyway. But he's even less recognizable shown upside down. I remember people in theaters walking out asking "Who tf was that last guy just before the credits?!" Your audience should not be asking themselves that question, esp since he's a minor but pivotal baddie in the next film.

Don't get me wrong, the trilogy does far more right than it does wrong. I've said on numerous occasions that something about Revolutions has captured my focus and imagination since the day it came out in theaters. But those two creative decisions in Reloaded have always puzzled me.

[The Dark Knight]

But SmithBane taking out the five Zion ships needs to be seen in Reloaded since the first, what, HALF of Revolutions somewhat revolves around that plot point. Since SmithBane never got much development in Reloaded, the audience needs to see that (A) SmithBane really is Smith (B) Lock attempted a counter-attack against the machines and (C) SmithBane intentionally foiled it.

I think it plays well with the scene of The Vigilant being destroyed.

Morpheus says "Tonight is not an accident. There are no accidents." Which is delicious irony given what then happens, with the blood running down the monitor providing a doomed resemblance of the Matrix code. Which suggests the prophecy isn't as foolproof or as destined as we were originally led to believe. And there's more of that to come.

At that point in the story, the focus is on helping Neo open the door. What happened on board The Vigilant was a genuine accident. When the other captains hear about Bane being the sole survivor of another hovercraft massacre they are suspicious, especially Boland.

Because we don't see the sabotage, was this another accident like before? They aren't sure. Bane is on trial, and the captains and the audience are the jury. His villainy is outright confirmed in Revolutions. I think that progression plays well, and builds tension as to when we will finally see the guy snap.

[Gotham Knight]

The Matrix 4 is coming to HBO MAX on December 22, 2021.

[The Dark Knight]

The Matrix 4 is coming to HBO MAX on December 22, 2021.

Well, we're getting the film no matter what next year then. Which is great. I assume WB will do the same with The Batman as well, meaning it's absolutely going to make its 2022 date. Delays should be a thing of the past with this release format. I'll absolutely be doing the cinema experience, but HBO Max will always be there afterwards.

[thecolorsblend]

The Matrix Resurrections, you say?

https://screenrant.com/matrix-4-title-resurrections-revealed-keanu-reeves-neo