The poster for The Matrix Resurrections – fourth instalment in the science-fiction franchise – was shared on Wednesday as it urges fans to ‘return to the source.’
The film’s top star Keanu Reeves is seen front and center reprising his role as Neo but this time he had long hair much like his John Wick character but he did sport all black clothing which is similar to what he wore in the previous movies of the franchise.
He was joined on the new image by a familiar face, Carrie-Anne Moss, who portrayed Trinity in the previous trilogy from 1999 to 2003.
‘Return to the source’: The poster for The Matrix Resurrections – fourth instalment in the science-fiction franchise – was shared on Wednesday which featured a long haired Keanu Reeves back as Neo (center) with a returning Carrie-Anne Moss (second from right) and newcomers Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (left) and Jessica Henwick (right)
Iconic: The original Matrix feature was released in 1999 and was met with much critical praise upon its debut (L-R) Joe Pantoliano, Laurence Fishburne, Keanu and Carrie-Anne Moss
‘Step back into the Matrix with this new poster for The Matrix Resurrections. Watch it in theaters and on HBO Max* this Christmas,’ the film’s Twitter account captioned the new poster.
The highly anticipated sci-fi film will be released on December 22.
Interesting: The 57-year-old actor’s long hair makes him resemble his other signature character John Wick, as he is seen in 2019’s John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum
The film comes 18-years after The Matrix Revolutions, originally intended to be the final chapter in a trilogy documenting the transformation of computer hacker Thomas Anderson into cybercriminal Neo after he inadvertently discovers the ordinary world he inhabits is actually a simulated reality.
The last poster had red and blue pills sitting side by side beneath the stark message: ‘The choice is yours.’
Fans of the popular franchise will recognize the pills as a decisive option given to Neo, played by Keanu Reeves, as he chooses between life in the dangerous, war-ravaged real world or the ‘beautiful prison’ of alternate reality.
Pick: ‘The choice is your,’ appeared against a white background, beckoning the audience to pick a red pill or a blue pill
Piercing static serves as the backdrop, while tiny strings of Matrix code are seen falling down inside the pills before the entire scene melts.
The trailer invited fans to continue their saga on WhatIsTheMatrix.com, an interactive choose-your-own-adventure style site.
Presented with the same choice there, red takes you down a rabbit hole where you’re told: ‘This is the moment for you to show us what’s real.’
Scenes from the film then flash across the screen, showing the thin barrier between reality and the artificial world known as The Matrix.
He’s back! The Matrix Resurrections released its much-anticipated first trailer last month, offering fans a tantalising glimpse at the sci-fi sequel after years of being shrouded in secrecy
Reunited! The preview showed Keanu Reeves’ long-awaited return to the alternate reality of years of dire existence after crossing paths with his old flame Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) in the real world
Too deep in the rabbit hole? However one noticeable absence is Laurence Fishburne’s character Morpheus, who brought Neo into the real world, and appeared in all three previous films, he is shown in 1999’s The Matrix
The preview begins with a downbeaten Thomas in the midst of a therapy session, with his psychologist (Neil Patrick Harris) questioning some of the hacker’s unusual dreams, while viewers see flashbacks to the famous Matrix that Neo faced in the original trilogy.
While Thomas is reassured that he’s not ‘crazy,’ it’s clear his mind has struggled to escape the Matrix, as he’s seen taking a myriad of blue pills, which keep him in a state of contented ignorance.
And despite battling the agents side-by-side, it appears that ‘Neo’ is unable to remember his former flame Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss), as the pair are seen meeting in an office, completely unaware of their crime-fighting history.
Thomas can be seen meeting with Trinity in the real world, with the pair hinting at whether they’ve met before, unaware of their romantic history battling agents in The Matrix.
Familiar face: And despite battling the agents side-by-side, it appears that ‘Neo’ is unable to remember his former flame Trinity, as the pair are seen meeting in an office, completely unaware of their crime-fighting history
That old feeling: Neo and Trinity shake hands upon their meeting but it lingers a bit and they take a while to release their grip
Feeling is still there: The two definitely feel a connection as Trinity asks “have we met?” and Neo seems unsure as heblinks and slightly shakes his head
What’s going on? The preview begins with a downbeaten Thomas Anderson, Neo’s real name before he entered The Matrix, in the midst of a therapy session, with his psychologist (Neil Patrick Harris) questioning some of the hacker’s unusual dreams
Iconic: The Matrix code was shown as the character explained that he has ‘had dreams that weren’t just dreams’
Tough times: Neo seems to having trouble finding meaning out of his ‘dreams’ as one rather humorous shot showed him sitting in a bathtub with a rubber duck on his head
Intense: Early on there are plenty of shots of Neo looking at his reflection in the mirror as no doubt it has to do with him being skeptical of the physical appearance of his avatar in The Matrix
It soon becomes clear that Neo is struggling to resist the temptation to return to the technical fantasy, and can be seen meeting with a mysterious bookseller (Priyanka Chopra), appropriately brandishing a copy of Alice In Wonderland – a book regularly referenced in the film – and a mysterious white rabbit tattoo.
A man dressed in a long coat, shirt and pince-nez glasses is an apparent nod to Laurence’s Fishburne’s Morpheus. The actor is not set to appear in the new film.
Neo is also seen walking through a mirror, an apparent nod to the scene in the first film when he touches a mirror and its silver surface becomes liquid and travels up his arm.
Plugged in: Neo seemingly has an issue with people’s dependence on technology
Looking for a connection: Feeling alone, Neo looked up at elevator mirror only to confirm his loneliness
What’s going on? It soon becomes clear that Neo is struggling to resist the temptation to return to the technical fantasy, and can be seen meeting with a bookseller (Priyanka Chopra), appropriately brandishing a copy of Alice In Wonderland
Do it! Eventually Neo succumbs and takes the red pill from a mysterious figure, which many fans have claimed could be a younger incarnation of Laurence Fishburne’s Morpheus
At odds: Neo is seen telling the same man (played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) in a dojo that ‘you don’t know me’ before he thrusts at his chest and sends a shockwave which flattens the building
Met his match: The two battled it out in what seemed to be a very contentious fight
Still The One: The two engage in battle and Neo says ‘you don’t know me’ before ramping up his combat and using what seems to be a telekinesis power to launch the Morpheus-like figure into the air and through the dojo
He’s joined by a mysterious new female heroine (Jessica Henwick) with the pair sharing an intimate moment after he is transported back to The Matrix.
Whilst the original film was famed for its fight scenes, the new trailer shows that the fourth instalment isn’t light on action either.
Neo is seen telling a combat opponent (played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) in a dojo that ‘you don’t know me’ before he thrusts at his chest and sends a shockwave which flattens the building
Who is that? He’s joined by a mysterious new female heroine (Jessica Henwick) with the pair sharing an intimate moment after he is transported back to The Matrix
Down the rabbit hole: She also had a tattoo of a rabbit which draws back to the Alice In Wonderland theme referenced earlier
Tense: Whilst the original film was famed for its fight scenes, the new trailer shows that the fourth instalment isn’t light on action either
There they are! The famous ‘Agents’ – who were led by Hugo Weaving’s character Agent Smith in the first three films
Eerie: Also making a return are the womb-like pods in which humans are kept in a comatose state by the machines which control them
Back in the goo: Neo is shown emerging from one of the pods
The famous ‘Agents’ – who were led by Hugo Weaving’s character Agent Smith in the first three films – also make a return, as do the womb-like pods in which humans are kept in a comatose state by the machines which control them.
Giving a further hint that Neo’s god-like powers still remain, he is seen stopping bullets and even diverting a missile into a helicopter before the trailer closes out with a man telling Neo: ‘After all these years, to be going back to where it all started. Back to the Matrix.’
Die-hard fans of the trilogy will remember that humanity is unknowingly trapped inside a simulated reality which machines have used to distract humans while using their bodies as an energy source.
He’s still got it: Neo is later shown using his same power of telekinesis as he stops bullets while trying to protect former love-interest Trinity
Bold choice: The trailer really takes a turn as Neo is presented with a red and blue pill, as the choice has been a crucial one since the first film, and ultimately chooses the red one which was a choice in being willing top learn a potentially unsettling or life-changing truth
Plug in: Like the original trilogy crewmembers are shown ‘jacking in’ in order to materialize within the Matrix as an avatar
Rekindling the flame: As Neo and Trinity have a romantic history together, the trailer teased a potential reconciliation as they glanced into each others eyes
Why Laurence Fishburne is not seen back as Morpheus in the film has yet to be answered as back in June, the 60-year-old actor was wondering the same himself.
‘I am not in the next Matrix movie and you know, you’d have to ask Lana Wachowski why, ’cause I don’t have an answer for that,’ he said, referring to the director.
However when his Collider interviewer said that ‘I hope you’re lying to me’ about not being in the film Laurence smiled silently.
Put your hands up: Neo is shown surrounded by SWAT officers
Armed for combat: Neo takes on dozens of law enforcement
Oh no: At one point a gun is shown being pointed by an unidentified person as Neo is on his knees as water could be seen pouring from ceiling sprinklers
What timing: Neo is shown catching a bullet as his god-like powers seemed to be back
Boom: No doubt the character had to jump away from an exploding building in the action-packed clip
Getting in on the action: Trinity was also shown fighting off the SWAT Team
Handling her business: No doubt she was a handful for the armored law enforcement
Ahead of the trailer’s release, fans were treated to a cryptic teaser featuring the famous blue or red pills, along with the caption: ‘The choice is yours.’
Piercing static serves as the backdrop, while tiny strings of Matrix code are seen falling down inside the pills before the entire scene melts.
The trailer invited fans to continue their saga on WhatIsTheMatrix.com, an interactive choose-your-own-adventure style site.
Presented with the same choice there, red takes you down a rabbit hole where you’re told: ‘This is the moment for you to show us what’s real.’
Fired up: Yahya’s character is still unknown but no doubt he plays a crucial role
Assassin: He is shown walking down a hallway with two firearms in hand
Not without a fight: Though her character is also still to be named, Henwick was also seen getting in on the action
Scenes from the film then flash across the screen, showing the thin barrier between reality and the artificial world known as The Matrix.
‘This could be this is the first day of the rest of your life, but if you want it, you gotta fight for it,’ the narration wraps while showing star Keanu Reeves ready to fight.
Picking the blue pill offered another path, asking viewers: ‘Do you remember how you got here?’
‘You’ve lost your capacity to discern reality from fiction,’ the narrator says before several surreal scenes flash by.
‘What’s real is here and now… Anything else is just your mind playing tricks on you.’
You’re still The One I run to: Giving a further hint that Neo’s god-like powers still remain, he is seen stopping bullets and even diverting a missile into a helicopter
Bond: Neo and Trinity jump off the top of a high-rise building while hand-in-hand
Stunning: The two could be seen making an epic leap
The trailer closes out with a man telling Neo: ‘After all these years, to be going back to where it all started. Back to the Matrix’
Highly-anticipated: The Matrix Resurrections is set for release just ahead of Christmas Day on December 22
‘It becomes a problem when fantasies endanger us,’ they warn as someone is seen pouring out a bottle of blue pills.
Then, ending on a sinister note, they show someone touching the computer port at the back of their head and ask: ‘We don’t want anyone to get hurt, do we?’
Though HBO offered few details about the movie’s plot, they weren’t lacking enthusiasm in their official description.
The network’s description reads: ‘Plug into The Matrix Resurrections the long-awaited fourth film in the groundbreaking franchise that blew minds, and redefined a genre.
‘From visionary filmmaker Lana Wachowski, the new film reunites original stars Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss as Neo and Trinity, the iconic roles they made famous.’
Ready for action: The Matrix Resurrections got their buzz started by teasing the first official trailer for the film online Tuesday
Reality: The red pill takes you down a rabbit hole where you’re told: ‘This is the moment for you to show us what’s real’
The original Matrix feature was released in 1999 and was met with much critical praise upon its debut. The feature was followed up by two further films, which were both released in 2003.
The first film sees Neo given a choice between the red pill, which will reveal the truth about the real world, or blue to return him to his mundane former life.
After swallowing the red pill, his old world fades away and he awakens naked among millions of other humans attached to an elaborate electrical system that wires them to the alternate worldThe Wachowskis, who directed all of the entries in the series, initially had no plans to continue the franchise after the third picture’s debut. However, rumors about a potential fourth film began to circulate in the early 2010s.
The Matrix Resurrections – directed by Lana Wachowski – is set for worldwide release on Wednesday, December 22.