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The Matrix Revolutions
The Matrix Revolutions
The Matrix Revolutions
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The Matrix Revolutions
Theatrical release poster
Directed byThe Wachowskis[a]
Written byThe Wachowskis
Based onCharacters
by The Wachowskis
Produced byJoel Silver
Starring
CinematographyBill Pope
Edited byZach Staenberg
Music byDon Davis
Production
companies
Distributed byWarner Bros. Pictures
Release date
  • November 5, 2003 (2003-11-05)
Running time
129 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States[2][3]
LanguageEnglish
Budget$110–150 million[4][5]
Box office$427.3 million[5]

The Matrix Revolutions is a 2003 American science fiction action film written and directed by the Wachowskis.[a] The direct sequel to The Matrix Reloaded, it is the third installment in The Matrix film series, released six months following its predecessor. The film stars Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, Jada Pinkett Smith, Monica Bellucci, Lambert Wilson, and Mary Alice who replaced Gloria Foster as the Oracle following Foster's death in 2001. This is Alice's final film role before her death in July 2022. The film follows Neo and his allies as they fight to end the war between humanity and the machines permanently while opposing the rogue Agent Smith.

The film was released simultaneously in 108 territories on November 5, 2003, by Warner Bros. Pictures. While being the final entry in the original trilogy of the series, the Matrix storyline was continued in The Matrix Online video game. The Matrix Revolutions was the first live-action feature film to be released in both regular and IMAX theaters at the same time. It grossed $427 million worldwide, making it the eighth-highest-grossing film of 2003. The film received mixed reviews from critics.

A fourth film, titled The Matrix Resurrections, began production in February 2020 and was released on December 22, 2021.

Plot

[edit]

After the Mjolnir saved the crew of Nebuchadnezzar,[b] Neo and Bane still lie unconscious in the ship's medical bay. Neo's consciousness is trapped in a subway station named Mobil Ave, a transition zone between the Matrix and the machine world. He meets a "family" of programs, including a girl named Sati. The "father" tells Neo the subway is controlled by the Trainman, a program loyal to the Merovingian. When Neo tries to board a train with the family, the Trainman refuses and overpowers him.

Seraph contacts Morpheus and Trinity on behalf of the Oracle, who informs them of Neo's confinement. Seraph, Morpheus, and Trinity enter Club Hel, where they confront the Merovingian and force him to release Neo. Troubled by visions of the Machine City, Neo visits the Oracle, who reveals that Smith intends to destroy both the Matrix and the real world. She tells him "everything that has a beginning has an end." After Neo leaves, a large group of Smiths assimilates Sati and Seraph. The Oracle does not resist assimilation, and Smith gains her powers of precognition.

In the real world, the crews of the Nebuchadnezzar and the Mjolnir find and reactivate Niobe's ship, the Logos. They interrogate Bane, who says that he has no recollection of the earlier massacre. As the captains plan their defense of Zion, Neo requests a ship to travel to the Machine City. Motivated by her encounter with the Oracle,[c] Niobe offers him the Logos. Neo departs, accompanied by Trinity. Bane, who has stowed away on the Logos, takes Trinity hostage. Neo realizes Smith has assimilated Bane, and a fight ensues. Bane burns Neo's eyes with a power cable, blinding him. Neo discovers he can still "see" machine source code in the real world and uses this ability to kill Bane. Trinity pilots them to the Machine City.

Zion's shipyard is overwhelmed by a horde of Sentinels. Niobe and Morpheus rush toward Zion in the Mjolnir to aid the human defenses. The fatally wounded Captain Mifune instructs Kid to open the gate for the Mjolnir, which he does with the aid of Zee. When it arrives, it discharges its EMP, disabling all the Sentinels present but also Zion's remaining defenses. The humans are forced to retreat and wait for the next attack, thinking it will be their last stand.

The Logos is besieged by machines guarding Machine City. Neo shuts several of them down using his newfound powers[b] but passes out from exhaustion. To avoid their attackers, Trinity flies above them, briefly glimpsing the open sky before crashing into a building. Impaled by debris, Trinity declares her love for Neo before dying. Neo enters the Machine City and encounters the leadership of the machines in the form of the "Deus Ex Machina."[d] Neo warns that Smith threatens both the machine and human worlds. He offers to stop Smith in exchange for peace with Zion. The Deus Ex Machina agrees, and the Sentinels stop the attack on Zion.

The machines plug Neo into the Matrix, whose population has now been entirely assimilated by Smith. The Smith with the Oracle's powers steps forth, telling Neo he has foreseen his own victory. After a protracted fight, Smith says "everything that has a beginning has an end," repeating what the Oracle said to Neo. Neo appears to concede defeat and allows himself to be assimilated. Outside the Matrix, the machines send a surge of energy into Neo's body, which inside the Matrix causes the Neo-Smith clone, then all the other Smith clones, to be destroyed, killing Neo while restoring the Oracle and everyone else who was assimilated. The Sentinels withdraw from Zion, Morpheus and Niobe embrace, and the city rejoices. The machines carry Neo's body away.

The Matrix is rebooted, and the Architect meets the Oracle in a park, scolding her for having "played a dangerous game." They agree that the peace will last "as long as it can" and that those who desire to leave the Matrix will be allowed their freedom. The Oracle tells Sati that she thinks they will see Neo again. Seraph asks the Oracle if she knew this would happen. She replies that she did not know, but she believed.

Cast

[edit]

Zee was originally played by Aaliyah, who died in a plane crash on August 25, 2001, before filming was complete, requiring her scenes to be reshot with Nona Gaye.[7][8] Jet Li was offered the role of Seraph, but turned it down as he did not want his martial arts moves digitally recorded.[9]

Production

[edit]

The film's budget was estimated between US$110 million[4] and $150 million.[5]

Filming occurred concurrently with its predecessor, The Matrix Reloaded, and live-action sequences for the video game Enter the Matrix. This took place primarily at Fox Studios in Sydney, Australia. Most notably, the subway scenes were filmed at the disused tunnels of St James railway station, and the end sequence with the Oracle and the Architect was filmed in the Royal Botanic Garden.[10][11] Carrie-Anne Moss injured her ankle during the shooting in Australia.[12]

Soundtrack

[edit]
Main article: The Matrix Revolutions: Music from the Motion Picture

In contrast to its predecessors, very few "source" tracks are used in the film. Aside from Don Davis' score, again collaborating with Juno Reactor, only one external track (by Pale 3) is used. Although Davis rarely focuses on strong melodies, familiar leitmotifs from earlier in the series reappear. For example, Neo and Trinity's love theme—which briefly surfaces in the two preceding films—is finally fully expanded into "Trinity Definitely"; the theme from the Zion docks in Reloaded returns as "Men in Metal", and the energetic drumming from the Reloaded tea house fight between Neo and Seraph opens "Tetsujin", as Seraph, Trinity and Morpheus fight off Club Hel's three doormen. The climactic battle theme, named "Neodämmerung" (in reference to Wagner's Götterdämmerung), features a choir singing extracts (shlokas) from the Pavamana Mantra, introduced in the Upanishads. The chorus can be roughly translated from Sanskrit as follows: "lead us from untruth to truth, lead us from darkness to light, lead us from death to immortality, peace peace peace". The extracts were brought to Davis by the Wachowskis when he informed them that it would be wasteful for such a large choir to be singing simple "ooh"s and "aah"s (according to the DVD commentary, Davis felt that the dramatic impact of the piece would be lost if the choir was to sing 'This is the one, see what he can do' in plain English). These extracts return in the film's denouement, and in Navras, the track that plays over the closing credits (which may be considered a loose remix of "Neodämmerung").

Release

[edit]

The Matrix Revolutions was released in theaters roughly three weeks after The Matrix Reloaded arrived on DVD, on October 14, 2003.[13][14]

The film had the widest release ever opening simultaneously in 108 territories at 1400 Greenwich Mean Time on November 5, 2003.[15][16]

Reception

[edit]

Box office

[edit]

On opening day, The Matrix Revolutions scored $24.3 million, becoming the third-highest Wednesday opening, behind The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.[17] During its three-day opening weekend, it earned $48.5 million.[18] In its first five days of release, the film grossed $83.8 million in the United States and Canada from 3,502 theaters,[19] but dropped 66% during the second week.[19][20] For three years, it had the highest five-day Wednesday opening for any Warner Bros. film until it was taken by Superman Returns in 2006.[21] The film even competed against the newly released family films Brother Bear and Elf.[22]

Internationally, the film grossed $119 million in its first 5 days from 10,013 prints in 107 territories, with the third-biggest opening ever in Japan and Spain and the fourth biggest in the United Kingdom, Italy and Mexico.[16] Combined, it grossed $203 million in its first five days.[20] This made it the highest worldwide opening weekend for any film, holding the record until it was beaten by The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King a month later.[23] The Matrix Revolutions also achieved the record for having the biggest international opening weekend for an R-rated film until 2015 when it was surpassed by Fifty Shades of Grey.[24] The film grossed over $139 million in North America and approximately $427 million worldwide,[5] roughly half of The Matrix Reloaded box-office total, and was the eighth-highest-grossing film of 2003.

Home media

[edit]

The Matrix Revolutions was released on DVD and VHS on April 6, 2004.[25] The film grossed $116 million in DVD sales. Additionally, it was released on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray on October 30, 2018.[26]

Critical response

[edit]
Further information: List of accolades received by The Matrix film series

On review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, The Matrix Revolutions holds an approval rating of 33% based on 215 reviews and an average rating of 5.30/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "A disappointing conclusion to the Matrix trilogy as characters and ideas take a back seat to the special effects."[27] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 47 out of 100 based on 41 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[28] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale, a grade down from the "B+" earned by the previous film and two grades down from the "A−" earned by the first film, therefore the second lowest grade earned by a film in the series.[29]

Some critics criticized the film for being anticlimactic.[30][31] Additionally, some critics regard the film as less philosophically ambiguous than its predecessor, The Matrix Reloaded.[32][33] Critics had difficulty finding closure pertaining to events from The Matrix Reloaded, and were generally dissatisfied.[34][35]

Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film three stars out of four, despite offering criticisms of his own, on the grounds that it at least provided closure to the story well enough so that fans following the series would prefer seeing it as to not.[36]

Sequel

[edit]
Main article: The Matrix Resurrections

While making the Matrix films, the Wachowskis told their close collaborators that at that time they had no intention of making another installment after The Matrix Revolutions.[37][38][39][40] Instead, they gave their blessing to the notion of gamers "inherit[ing] the storyline", and The Matrix Online video game was billed as the official continuation.[41] In February 2015, in interviews promoting Jupiter Ascending, Lilly Wachowski called a return to The Matrix a "particularly repelling idea in these times", noting the studios' tendency to green-light sequels, reboots, and adaptations over original material,[42] while Lana Wachowski, addressing rumors about a potential reboot, said that they had not heard anything, but she believed that the studio might be looking to replace them.[43] At various times, Keanu Reeves and Hugo Weaving have stated that they would be willing to reprise their roles in potential Matrix films, but only if the Wachowskis were involved.[44][45]

In March 2017, The Hollywood Reporter wrote that Warner Bros. was in early stages of developing a relaunch of the franchise, with Zak Penn in talks to write a treatment, and interest in getting Michael B. Jordan attached to star. According to the article neither the Wachowskis nor Joel Silver were involved at that stage, although the studio would like to get at minimum the blessing of the Wachowskis.[46]

Warner Bros. officially announced the development on a fourth film in August 2019, with Lana Wachowski serving as director and producer on it. Lana wrote the screenplay with David Mitchell and Aleksander Hemon. Grant Hill produced it alongside Lana. The production is a joint-venture between Warner Bros. Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures, similar to the original films. Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss reprise their roles from the previous films; Laurence Fishburne and Hugo Weaving do not appear in the film. Production began in February 2020 in San Francisco,[47][48] briefly halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic,[49] and wrapped in November of that same year. The film, The Matrix Resurrections, had its world premiere in Toronto, Canada on December 16, 2021, and was released in theaters and on HBO Max on December 22, 2021.

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

The Matrix Revolutions

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
The Matrix Revolutions is a American written and directed by Lana Wachowski and Lilly Wachowski, serving as the third and final installment in trilogy. The film continues directly from , following Neo () as he grapples with his enhanced abilities and the escalating war between humanity and machines, while the last human city of prepares for a massive invasion by machine sentinels, and the rogue () threatens to destabilize both realities. With a runtime of 129 minutes, it blends high-octane action sequences, philosophical themes of choice and destiny, and groundbreaking to conclude the saga's exploration of simulated reality and human freedom. The story centers on Neo's journey through limbo and into confrontation with his adversaries, as allies like Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) and Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) rally to support Zion's defense against the machine onslaught. Key supporting characters include Niobe (Jada Pinkett Smith), the Oracle (Mary Alice, replacing Gloria Foster), and the Architect (Helmut Bakaitis), whose interactions deepen the trilogy's lore on control, prophecy, and rebellion. The film's narrative emphasizes Neo's messianic role, culminating in battles across the Matrix and the real world that resolve the long-standing conflict. Principal photography for The Matrix Revolutions occurred back-to-back with from March 2001 to August 2002, primarily at Fox Studios in , . Produced by under and , the film had a of $150 million and was released simultaneously in 108 countries on November 5, 2003, by . It earned $427.3 million at the worldwide , though it underperformed compared to its predecessors. Critically, The Matrix Revolutions received mixed reviews, praised for its ambitious visuals and action but criticized for convoluted plotting and diminished philosophical depth, holding a 33% approval rating from critics on based on 215 reviews. The film's innovative effects, including the massive battle for and Smith's viral spread, earned a nomination for Outstanding Visual Effects from the , solidifying the trilogy's influence on cinema. Despite initial divided reception, it has gained appreciation for providing closure to the franchise's themes and paving the way for later entries like The Matrix Resurrections (2021) and a fifth installment in early development as of 2025, with returning as Neo.

Story and characters

Plot

The film begins with Neo trapped in a subway station limbo controlled by the Trainman, a servant program of the Merovingian, following the events of The Matrix Reloaded where Neo entered a door to an unknown destination. Trinity and Morpheus locate Neo's body on the Logos hovercraft but his mind is held captive in the subway; they seek assistance from the Merovingian at his club in the Matrix, where he demands they obtain the eyes of the Oracle in exchange for freeing Neo. Meanwhile, in the real world, the human city of Zion prepares for an imminent invasion by machine sentinels, with Commander Locke organizing defenses as the population rallies for survival. Aboard the , Bane—now possessed by the rogue after Smith copied himself into Bane's mind during a Matrix encounter—is overtaken and begins sabotaging the human resistance fleet by attacking other ships, including killing the crew of the Caduceus. Neo awakens on the Logos, but Bane ambushes him in the real world, burning Neo's eyes with electrical cables, leaving him blind; however, Neo discovers he can perceive the world through a new , seeing golden code-like auras around machines and . Trinity pilots the Logos toward Machine City (01) to negotiate peace, navigating treacherous electromagnetic storms while Neo rests, grappling with visions of Trinity's death. In Zion, the machine army breaches the city's outer defenses, launching a massive that forces the human defenders into a desperate ground battle using mechs and against waves of sentinels. Upon arriving at Machine City, Trinity and Neo confront the machine leader, the , a colossal entity, but their ship is shot down in a fierce aerial ; Trinity sustains fatal injuries during the crash landing, and in her dying moments, she affirms her love for Neo, emphasizing themes of personal and sacrifice as she urges him to end the war. Blinded and grieving, Neo is taken inside Machine City for an audience with the , where he offers to stop Smith—who has grown into a virus assimilating all entities within , including programs and redpills—in exchange for a truce sparing Zion. Concurrently, the Oracle meets with Neo in the Matrix before being infected by Smith, revealing that Neo's previous rejection of the Architect's offer in created an anomaly: Smith's unchecked replication as the opposite of Neo's power as The One, fulfilling her prophecy that would alter the cycle of Matrix reloads. As Smith's assimilation threatens to crash the entire Matrix system, destabilizing the machines' power source, Neo re-enters the Matrix for a final confrontation at the rainy Mega City ruins. Neo battles multiple Smith copies in an epic, rain-soaked fight, but ultimately allows the Oracle-Smith to assimilate him, overloading Smith with Neo's connection to the source; the machines then purge Smith from within Neo's body, deleting the virus and restoring balance. With Smith defeated, the machines honor the agreement, withdrawing from Zion and brokering peace with the human survivors, including Morpheus, Niobe, and the Oracle, who hints at ongoing cycles tempered by choice. The film closes with the Oracle and Architect discussing the truce's implications, while Sati—a young program—witnesses a machine-granted sunrise over the real world, symbolizing hope amid sacrifice.

Cast

Keanu Reeves reprises his role as Neo, the central figure who possesses unique abilities within the Matrix and leads the human resistance against machine oppression. Carrie-Anne Moss returns as , a proficient operative and pilot who serves as Neo's steadfast companion in both the simulated and real worlds. Laurence Fishburne portrays once more, the resolute captain and prophet who guides humanity's fight for freedom. Hugo Weaving embodies , the relentless program that has evolved into a primary threat to both the Matrix and the human rebels. Mary Alice takes on the role of the Oracle, a wise and prophetic program offering cryptic counsel to key resistance members; she replaced Gloria Foster, who originated the character and passed away in 2001 due to complications from diabetes. In supporting roles, plays Niobe, a skilled hovercraft commander pivotal to 's defensive strategies. appears as the Kid, a devoted young resident who contributes to the broader effort against the machines. depicts Zee, a determined ite and communications officer supporting ground operations; she stepped in for , who was originally cast but died in a plane crash in 2001. portrays the Architect, the enigmatic program who oversees 's design and explains its cyclical nature to Neo. plays the Merovingian, an exiled program who controls shadowy elements of and holds Neo captive in limbo.

Production

Development

The Wachowskis began developing the scripts for the Matrix sequels shortly after the release of the original film in 1999, drawing on philosophical and mythological influences to expand the narrative. By late 2000, they had finalized a draft for The Matrix Revolutions, envisioning it as the trilogy's climax that would resolve the ongoing conflict between humans and machines. To maintain narrative and production continuity, the siblings decided to shoot Revolutions back-to-back with , a strategy announced as early as 1999 and executed starting in March 2001 in , . The production budget for Revolutions was initially allocated at $110 million, reflecting the ambitious scope of the concurrent filming with . However, costs escalated to $150 million due to the complexities of simultaneous , extensive pre-visualization, and the integration of advanced digital effects across both films. Conceptually, planned Revolutions to conclude by centering Neo's messianic arc, portraying him as a Christ-like figure whose journey culminates in a sacrificial act to end the human-machine war and achieve a fragile . This arc built on themes of , destiny, and transcendence introduced in , emphasizing Neo's evolution from to savior through encounters with the and .

Filming

Principal photography for The Matrix Revolutions occurred concurrently with that of The Matrix Reloaded, spanning from March 2001 to August 2002. The majority of filming took place at Fox Studios in , , where elaborate practical sets were constructed to depict key environments. This back-to-back production approach allowed to shoot scenes for both films in sequential narrative order, though it introduced significant logistical complexities in managing cast schedules, set transitions, and crew coordination across the two projects. A major focus of the Sydney shoot was the Zion battle sequences, which relied heavily on practical elements to ground the action. Full-sized Armored Personnel Units (APUs) were built and operated on the studio stages, enabling actors to perform in realistic mech suits during intense combat scenes. Coordinating these large-scale sequences presented substantial challenges, particularly in choreographing movements with hundreds of extras portraying Zion's defenders; the production demanded over 10,000 extra workdays to capture the chaotic defense against machine invaders. Motion-control rigs were employed to repeat and synchronize APU actions precisely, ensuring seamless integration of practical footage. Following the principal wrap in , all filming for The Matrix Revolutions was completed in . The overall 12-month Sydney phase contributed approximately $110.6 million to the economy and created around 800 full-time jobs, highlighting the scale of the runaway production. The production faced an unexpected adjustment when , originally cast as Zee, died in a plane crash on August 25, 2001, before filming her scenes for Revolutions. Although she had completed some work for Reloaded, the role was recast with , requiring reshoots of Aaliyah's Reloaded footage and entirely new shoots for Zee's Revolutions appearances, such as her involvement in the defense. This change occurred late in the concurrent schedule but was managed without delaying the overall timeline.

Visual effects

The visual effects for The Matrix Revolutions were produced by a consortium of leading studios, with ESC Entertainment serving as the primary coordinator and contributor, alongside , , BUF, Giant Killer Robots, and , resulting in 804 VFX shots that comprised a significant portion of the film's runtime. These efforts built upon the groundbreaking techniques from the earlier Matrix films, emphasizing photorealistic digital environments and character interactions to enhance the trilogy's philosophical and action-driven narrative. A key sequence, the Zion dock battle, featured thousands of machine sentinels invading the human stronghold, simulated at ESC using Maya particle systems for swarm behaviors and procedural rigid-body dynamics for destruction effects, while handled supporting tunnel skirmishes with CG Armored Personnel Units (APUs). The climactic rain-soaked confrontation between Neo and the multiplying Agent Smiths, executed primarily at ESC, incorporated over 150 digital Smith variants created via universal and to achieve fluid choreography amid torrential downpours. Innovations in virtual cinematography allowed for dynamic camera movements within fully CG environments, enabling seamless integration of live-action plates with simulated architecture during high-speed pursuits and duels, an evolution from the original film's bullet time. Advanced cloth simulations, powered by tools like Maya, rendered realistic fabric dynamics for characters' garments and environmental elements such as cascading rain ribbons, adding tactile realism to the wet, urban showdowns. The final duel introduced "super-bullet time," an amplified rotation effect combining slow-motion photography with CG rain and soaring digital doubles to orbit the combatants in a 360-degree arc, heightening the sequence's intensity. rendered the vast Machine City as a 100-mile-wide algorithmic , complete with intricate details like bug swarms controlled by 30,000 particles, establishing a dystopian aesthetic that underscored the machines' technological dominance.

Soundtrack

The musical score for The Matrix Revolutions was composed by Don Davis, who had previously scored the first two films in , blending orchestral arrangements with electronic and choral elements to amplify the film's themes of conflict and redemption. Recorded in 2003 at 20th Century Fox's Newman Scoring Stage with a 99-piece and an 80-member , the score emphasizes sweeping symphonic motifs interspersed with synthesized sounds, creating a tense atmosphere during action sequences and poignant emotional resonance in quieter moments. The soundtrack album, The Matrix Revolutions: Music from the Motion Picture, was released on November 4, 2003, by Maverick Recording Company and features 16 tracks totaling over an hour. Juno Reactor, the electronic music collective led by Ben Watkins, collaborated with Davis on several tracks, infusing techno and trance influences particularly suited to the film's underground club scenes and climactic sequences. Notable contributions include "The Trainman Cometh" and "Tetsujin," which drive the intensity of pursuit and confrontation scenes with pulsating rhythms and industrial textures, while "Navras"—featuring Sanskrit vocals inspired by ancient hymns—serves as the end credits theme, evoking a sense of resolution and transcendence. These pieces underscore key emotional beats, such as the characters' desperate alliances and sacrificial choices, heightening the narrative's philosophical undertones. The album also incorporates licensed music to enhance specific settings, including "In My Head" by the industrial group Pale 3, which plays during a tense encounter in the Merovingian's domain, adding a layer of brooding to the intrigue. Overall, Davis's score and its integrations maintain continuity with the trilogy's sonic identity, using to bridge the real and simulated worlds portrayed in the film.

Release

Marketing

The marketing campaign for The Matrix Revolutions leveraged the momentum from to position the film as the epic conclusion to , aligning promotional efforts with its November 5, 2003, worldwide release. A debuted at the premiere on May 7, 2003, appearing at the end of the film's credits to immediately tease the finale and sustain fan engagement during the six-month gap between sequels. The full theatrical trailer followed in late October 2003, intensifying anticipation with high-octane action sequences and philosophical undertones. This rollout was part of a broader global strategy that emphasized 's narrative arc, prominently featuring the "Everything that has a beginning has an end," drawn from the film's script and used across posters, TV spots, and online promotions to underscore themes of closure and destiny. Merchandise tie-ins expanded the franchise's universe, including video games and comic books that bridged events from Reloaded to Revolutions. The video game Enter the Matrix, released on May 20, 2003, alongside Reloaded, featured original storylines involving supporting characters like and , directly connecting to the sequels' plot developments. Additionally, The Matrix: Path of Neo, announced during the promotional window for Revolutions and released in November 2005, allowed players to experience Neo's journey through the trilogy's events, serving as an extended narrative tie-in. Comic books, such as those collected in The Matrix Comics Volume 1 (released October 2003), included short stories by creators like that filled gaps in the sequels' timeline, such as explorations of and machine-human conflicts. Viral marketing efforts centered on the official website whatisthematrix.com, which hosted interactive puzzles, , and fan challenges echoing the film's "free your mind" ethos to immerse users in universe.

Theatrical release

The world premiere of The Matrix Revolutions occurred on October 27, 2003, at the in , . The film received a wide theatrical release on November 5, 2003, opening on more than 10,000 screens across 108 countries in a coordinated global rollout at 1400 . This release marked a pioneering effort as the first major Hollywood to launch simultaneously in both standard 35mm and formats, with the version digitally re-mastered for giant screens. The motion picture runs 129 minutes and carries an MPAA rating of for sci-fi violence and brief sexual content. International rollout incorporated adjustments for the simultaneous , leading to variations in local start times; for instance, screenings began at 2:00 p.m. in , 5:00 p.m. in , and 11:00 p.m. in on November 5, while some markets like opened on November 6 local time.

Home media

The Matrix Revolutions was first released on DVD in a two-disc edition on April 6, 2004, by Warner Home Video, featuring the widescreen presentation of the film along with supplemental materials. This edition included behind-the-scenes documentaries detailing the production process, visual effects creation, and stunt choreography, such as featurettes on the filming of the Zion battle sequences and the "Super Burly Brawl" fight scene with multi-angle breakdowns. Later that year, on December 7, 2004, the original trilogy was compiled in the ten-disc "The Ultimate Matrix Collection" DVD set, which included The Matrix Revolutions, , , anthology, and extensive extras exceeding 35 hours, including additional production documentaries, philosophical audio commentaries by critics and scholars, and career profiles of key cast and crew. The collection served as a comprehensive for the trilogy's home viewing, emphasizing thematic depth and insights. The film received a Blu-ray release on October 14, 2008, as part of "The Ultimate Matrix Collection" in high definition, carrying over the original DVD's special features with enhanced audio-visual quality in 1080p. A standalone 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray edition followed on October 30, 2018, from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, presenting the movie in 2160p with Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos sound, though it retained a limited selection of extras focused on key visual effects breakdowns. In the digital era, The Matrix Revolutions became available for streaming on Max (formerly Max) as part of ' catalog, with options for rental or purchase on platforms including and as of 2025.

Reception

Box office

The Matrix Revolutions had a production budget of $150 million. The film ultimately grossed $427.3 million worldwide, earning $139.3 million in and $288 million internationally. This performance represented a solid financial return, though it fell short of fully recouping expectations given the franchise's prior success. The film opened domestically on November 5, 2003, with a mid-week debut that influenced its initial rollout by capturing early audience interest ahead of the holiday season. Its opening weekend from to 9 generated $48.5 million from 3,502 theaters, securing the number-one position at the North American . Internationally, it launched simultaneously in over 100 markets, contributing to robust early earnings. Compared to , which earned $741.8 million worldwide earlier that year, Revolutions achieved roughly half the total, reflecting diminished momentum for the trilogy's conclusion. Factors such as competition from family-oriented releases like , which debuted the same weekend and quickly overtook the top spot in subsequent weeks, limited its domestic legs. Despite this, the film demonstrated strong international appeal, with notable earnings in markets including ($16.2 million) and ($13.0 million).

Critical response

Upon its release, The Matrix Revolutions garnered mixed to negative reviews from critics, who often praised its technical achievements while lamenting narrative shortcomings. On , the film holds a 33% approval rating based on 215 reviews, with the critics' consensus describing it as "a disappointing conclusion to the Matrix as characters and ideas take a back seat to the ." assigns it a score of 47 out of 100, derived from 41 critic reviews categorized as mixed or average, reflecting broad agreement on its visual spectacle but frustration with its convoluted plotting and unsatisfying resolution. Prominent reviewers highlighted these divides. awarded the film 2 out of 4 stars, commending its "sights here to stir the sense of wonder" and status as a "terrific action achievement" through seamless integration of live action and effects, yet he critiqued the lack of emotional stakes, noting, "I don’t much give a damn what happens to any of the characters" due to plot issues that undercut the action's reality. Similarly, of offered a mixed assessment, applauding the "bright light and big noise" of sequences like the on and Neo's showdown with , but implying a shortfall in philosophical depth amid the bombast. In the wake of (2021), retrospective analyses have begun to reappraise Revolutions more positively for its thematic closure. Some commentators now view it as ahead of its time in exploring , , and existential peace, with the Neo-Smith confrontation praised for its intimacy and philosophical resonance, even as Resurrections reframes interpretations.

Accolades

The Matrix Revolutions received several nominations and awards from genre-specific organizations, particularly recognizing its technical achievements in science fiction filmmaking. At the in 2004, the film won Best Science Fiction Film and Best Visual Effects, with the visual effects award going to supervisors , Kim Libreri, , and Craig Hayes for their innovative work on sequences such as the large-scale battle. It was also nominated for Best Director for and Best Actor for ' portrayal of Neo. In the science fiction community, the film earned a nomination for the for Best Dramatic Presentation (Long Form) at the 2004 World Science Fiction Convention, where it received 18 votes but did not win, with : taking the award. The film's were further acknowledged by the at its 2nd Annual Awards in 2004, with a nomination in the Outstanding in a Visual Effects Driven Motion Picture category for the overall effects supervision by , Libreri, Murphy, and Hayes; this highlighted contributions to key action set pieces, including the battle sequence.

Legacy

Cultural impact

The Matrix Revolutions has significantly influenced philosophical discourse, particularly in explorations of , , and the nature of , building on the trilogy's themes of simulated existence and human agency. The film's depiction of Neo's ultimate choice to confront and the underscores a Hegelian between individual choice and systemic inevitability, where emerges not as absolute but as a negotiated force within a predetermined cycle. This resolution in Revolutions has prompted academic analyses that contrast it with Platonic ideals of enlightenment and Cartesian about , arguing that the trilogy culminates in a synthesis where reality's illusions are transcended through ethical action rather than mere awakening. In , the film's ending has generated enduring memes and references, notably the Oracle's line, "Everything that has a beginning has an end," which has been repurposed in online humor to comment on cycles of , media, and . This phrase, delivered during Neo's pivotal conversation, encapsulates the trilogy's philosophical closure and has permeated , often paired with visuals of Neo's sacrifice to signify inevitable conclusions in personal or cultural narratives. Beyond memes, The Matrix Revolutions contributed to the trilogy's broader impact on sci-fi visuals, influencing films like (2010), where drew on the blurring of simulated and real worlds, as well as the high-stakes action sequences involving altered physics, to craft dream-invasion mechanics and reality-questioning plots. As the capstone of the original trilogy, The Matrix Revolutions has seen renewed cultural relevance in the , amid advancements in and that echo its simulation theory. Discussions of the film's machine-human truce have resurfaced in debates over whether our world mirrors the Matrix's constructed , with experts noting how AI-driven simulations make the trilogy's warnings about digital dependency more pertinent today. This legacy has fueled contemporary analyses linking the film's themes to modern tech ethics, positioning Revolutions as a prescient commentary on the balance between human choice and algorithmic control.

Franchise developments

The Matrix Revolutions served as the direct sequel to The Matrix Reloaded (2003), forming the conclusion to the original trilogy directed by Lana and Lilly Wachowski. Released on November 5, 2003, it resolved the central conflict between humanity and the machines, providing narrative closure to the storyline initiated in The Matrix (1999). The film tied into the broader franchise through The Animatrix (2003), an anthology of nine animated shorts produced by the Wachowskis that expanded the universe's lore. These shorts, including "The Second Renaissance" parts I and II, provided backstory on the war's origins and bridged gaps between the live-action films by exploring side stories and character origins, such as the Kid's arc referenced in Reloaded and Revolutions. All shorts are considered canon, with the Wachowskis writing five and overseeing production to maintain thematic consistency. The franchise continued with (2021), a soft and that revisited the original characters in a meta-narrative framework, directed solely by Lana Wachowski. Production began in February 2020, with principal photography starting that month in and later moving to amid restrictions. The film premiered simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max on December 22, 2021, grossing $159.2 million worldwide against a $190 million budget, impacted by the ongoing pandemic and hybrid release model. It featured returning cast members including as Neo, as , and supporting roles by and , alongside new additions like . The included (MxO), a (MMORPG) developed by and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment in collaboration with Online Entertainment. Launched on March 22, 2005, in the United States and April 15, 2005, in , the game continued the storyline post-Revolutions, allowing players to inhabit the Matrix as Zion operatives, Exiles, or other factions in an evolving narrative driven by player choices and developer episodes. It maintained an active community until its shutdown on July 31, 2009, due to declining player numbers and licensing issues, marking the end of official interactive extensions at the time. In April 2024, Warner Bros. announced development of a fifth Matrix film, described as a new installment in the franchise with attached to write and direct, and Lana Wachowski serving as . This project, the first without directorial involvement from since the original , aims to explore fresh takes on the universe while honoring its legacy. As of November 2025, the film remains in early development stages, with no confirmed release date or casting announcements beyond speculation, though Warner Bros. has reaffirmed commitment to the IP amid broader studio restructuring. The ending of Revolutions, with Neo's apparent sacrifice, sets up resurrection themes revisited in Resurrections and potentially in future entries.

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