The subject of sequels in The Matrix series has always been a tricky one. While the Wachowski sisters’ 1999 genre-defining cyberpunk adventure was a milestone for cinema and went on to influence countless movies across genres, it’s generally agreed upon that every Matrix movie to come after it had its issues. The Matrix was followed by The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, both in 2003.
Years after the classic trilogy, Lana Wachowski returned as the solo director of 2021’s The Matrix Resurrections with OG star Laurence Fishburne missing from the legacy sequel’s cast, as well as Hugo Weaving. Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss, however, reprised their roles as Neo and Trinity. The fourth installment was also somewhat divisive as it expanded The Matrix‘s worldbuilding.
Naming the best Matrix movie is easy, but picking a favorite sequel is another game. At “The Cast of The Matrix” panel at New York Comic Con 2025, which featured Laurence Fishburne and Joe Pantoliano and was moderated by Josh Horowitz, the Morpheus actor revealed that he personally likes The Matrix Revolutions — potentially surprising, when Reloaded‘s action sequences usually give it a leg up.
Fishburne highlighted parts of the story in Revolutions that he found compelling, including Neo being blinded by an injury but still being able to perceive his surroundings, and he and Trinity going to the city of machines. “We knew we were involved in something that was groundbreaking,” Fishburne also said, believing no sci-fi-fantasy action movie that came after The Matrix escaped its influence.
“No Matrix, no MCU,” said Fishburne. “It doesn’t look the same.” When compared to some of the other pillars of long-term cinematic storyline, such as the MCU or Star Wars, The Matrix might appear to have had a lesser impact, as its sequels never managed to quite recapture the first movie’s magic. But Fishburne emphasized how The Matrix‘s action and digital effects shaped modern cinema.
The Matrix obviously couldn’t have pushed itself as far in terms of VFX innovation without Revolutions. The third installment has some scenes reliant on computer-generated landscapes and figures, such as the Machine City and the Sentinels that attack Zion. Not all The Matrix‘s effects hold up today, but even the weaker ones contributed to the evolving art form.
No matter the shortcomings of The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, seeing its trilogy to completion with relative success helped further its legacy, and the movies have their moments. Today, franchises are the most lucrative projects in Hollywood, evidenced by the fact that The Matrix itself got a legacy sequel after nearly 20 years.
The Matrix
- Movie(s)
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The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, The Matrix Resurrections, The Matrix 5
- First Film
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The Matrix
- Cast
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Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, Joe Pantoliano, Jada Pinkett Smith, Monica Bellucci, Lambert Wilson, Harold Perrineau, Gina Torres, Collin Chou, Neil Patrick Harris, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jessica Henwick, Jonathan Groff, Priyanka Chopra Jonas
- Video Game(s)
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Enter the Matrix (2003), The Matrix: Path of Neo (2005), The Matrix Online (2005)
- Character(s)
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Neo, Trinity, Morpheus, Agent Smith, Niobe, The Merovingian, The Oracle, The Architect, Seraph, Persephone, Ramachandra, Sati, The Analyst, Bugs, The Keymaker
- Comic Release Date
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213024,213027
