The Matrix is still considered one of the most influential pieces of cinema in the action and sci-fi genre, which is a remarkable feat for a modest budget that went on to garner profit. The Matrix franchise can be divisive, although the impact it has had as a cultural phenomenon is hard to dispute. The 1999 cult classic follows a resistance group fighting to break free from a virtual prison, set in a dystopian future with Keanu Reeves’ Neo at the very core of the narrative. The enduring popularity and commercial success of The Matrix has led to three sequels.

While The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, and The Matrix Resurrections reunite some existing characters in The Matrix trilogy, they never lived up to the hype of the original movie and the quality of the property has waned in recent years, according to some critics and viewers alike. Although the sequels were not entirely unnecessary, it was always going to be difficult to follow in the footsteps of the global phenomenon the original caused. However, this only serves to highlight the Wachowski siblings’ impressive enterprise on a modest budget for The Matrix, solidifying its status as a highly influential film.

The Matrix Had A Budget Of $65 Million

The Studio Contributions Were Minimal

The Matrix had an incredibly modest budget for a production of the time. With only $65 million to work with, the movie had a relatively strong advantage when it came to box office profits, as it meant it was not such a huge feat to break even. What is interesting is Warner Brothers only awarded a sixth of the $60 million budget the film required. As a result, Wachowski put effort into the first action scene they sH๏τ, to send it back to the studio and counteract their concerns, hoping it would convince them to award them a larger budget.

However, it should be noted the rates of inflation mean that The Matrix‘s budget would be the equivalent of approximately $110 million today. Of course, the film also benefited from the public endorsement of other prominent directors, such as Quentin Tarantino who called the premiere “a mindblowing experience,” (via All The Right Movies) before putting it in his top 20 movies of the decade, between 1992 and 2009. Not to mention James Cameron, who dubbed The Matrix as “one of the most profoundly fresh science fiction films ever made,” — momentous praise from the individual so well-regarded in that genre.

The Matrix Made $466 Million At The Box Office

The Matrix Achieved Many Milestones Throughout Its Theatrical run

The Matrix is the Wachowskis’ second film after Bound — a thriller from 1996 that fell short of takings during its run at the box office. Despite this, the film received critical praise for its intricate narrative, which meant all eyes were on The Matrix as the duo’s succeeding project. This ultimately meant The Matrix remained in the number one spot for three non-consecutive weekends. Not to mention, the year concluded with The Matrix as one of the highest-grossing films of 1999, coming in close behind the frontrunners, Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, and Toy Story 2.

A good proportion of The Matrix‘s popularity can be attributed to its organic growth through word-of-mouth. This resulted in The Matrix staying in theaters for over five months, which is a remarkable lifespan for any feature. The movie opened on the last weekend of March leading into April, where it ranked as the largest opening of that month in history. The Matrix kept the same momentum throughout and finished its run with $466 million at the box office, with $171 million of that domestic, off an incredibly low budget, though the sequels did not perform so well.

How Much the Matrix Sequels Made Compared To The First Movie

The Matrix Sequels Could Not Keep The Momentum Of The First Movie

In the wake of the original, the property was expected to perform rather well in future installments, but it was, unfortunately, not the case for the sci-fi sequels. The immediate sequel is The Matrix Reloaded, which was one of the most highly-anticipated films of the year. While the movie started out strong, The Matrix Reloaded suffered from mixed reviews and poor word-of-mouth and continued to decline in the weeks following its release. That being said, it was still the best performer of the collection, with the following two items exhibiting a continued decline with each subsequent release.

Interestingly, The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions were both released in 2003 and have both become incredibly contentious in the franchise. With the more recent installment not faring that much better, it begs whether any version of The Matrix 4 could have been a box-office success. There are several reasons as to why all three sequels of The Matrix did not perform well commercially. In particular, The Matrix Resurrections, and the unwise decision to release less than a week after Spider-Man: No Way Home, which dominated the box office for an entire month after its release.

Source: All The Right Movies