SPOILER WARNING!

The Matrix Resurrections arrived on December 22nd. Here is what you need to know: 

• Keanu Reeves returns as ‘Neo’ in the film, alongside Carrie-Anne Moss as ‘Trinity’
• Laurence Fishburne is no longer playing Morpheus 
• Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Neil Patrick Harris, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and Christina Ricci are added to the cast
• Lana Wachowski directs the film without her sister, Lilly Wachowski

A highly anticipated blockbuster film, The Matrix Resurrections is a film starring Keanu Reeves, Neil Patrick Harris, Christina Ricci, and Priyanka Chopra Jonas. Twitter is raving; the movie’s subsequent trailer has gone viral on YouTube, and its Instagram account has garnered over 80,000 followers. Needless to say, this is expected to be a big hit.

The Matrix is one of the most prolific movie series of its time, amassing a total of $1,632,989,142 worldwide. Many entitle the original film (1999) as the best science fiction film of all time. Although the sequels received less praise, they had a monumental legacy in Hollywood. 

For those reading, the upcoming summary is for those with a basic understanding of the Matrix series and plotline. The Matrix Resurrections begins with Neo living an average life in San Francisco as ‘Thomas Anderson.’ His therapist prescribes him blue pills, calling back to the red and blue pills from the original Matrix. As Morpheus states in the first film, “You take the blue pill, the story ends. You wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe.” Neo and Trinity encounter each other, but neither seem to recognize one another. Later in the film, Morpheus gives Neo the red pill, opening his mind to the world of the matrix. 

As far as the cast is concerned, there were some notable changes. Instead of the Wachowskis directing the film together, Lana Wachowski directs this film alone. I’m sure that her sister will give her some pointers along the way, and it’s great to see that we get a similar vision for The Matrix in its successors. Moreover, we have Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as a young Morpheus, Neil Patrick Harris playing the role of Neo’s therapist (as seen in the trailer), Priyanka Chopra as Sati, and Christina Ricci with an undisclosed role. 

The biggest disappointment, however, is Laurence Fishburne’s absence as Morpheus in the cast. Many praised him on his performance to become an icon for contemporary culture. His absence has sparked some theories among Matrix fans. Some suggest that Morpheus was killed off in accordance with The Matrix Online, an MMORPG that may have carried the plot of The Matrix after the subsequent termination of the films in 2003. 

Regardless, if you are looking for a great science fiction movie during the holidays, or are a hardcore Matrix fan, I’m sure this will be a great treat for you. Keep in mind the action will surely be improved over previous iterations of the series. Special effects technology has improved significantly since the first film, and that is sure to be reflected in the upcoming addition to the franchise. If you want to stay up to date with The Matrix Resurrections, follow it on Instagram and Twitter, and watch the trailer if you haven’t already.