THE MATRIX 25TH ANNIVERSARY

Thomas Anderson a.k.a. Neo is a programmer by day and computer hacker by night, driven by the question: what is the Matrix? With the help of Morpheus and Trinity, Neo discovers the truth; that the world he knows is a simulation. Humanity has been subjugated by AI machines of their own creation, and what's left of the free, human race is at war. Prophesized by the Oracle as 'The One,' Neo joins the fight against humanity's oppressors alongside the crew of the Nebuchadnezzar.  

Like Neo, Trinity was a talented computer programmer and hacker before escaping the Matrix. Recruited to help fight against the machines, she is a Zion operative and first mate aboard the real-world hover ship, the Nebuchadnezzar, commanded by Morpheus. Trinity is skilled at martial arts, firearms and hacking, but is especially renowned for her abilities with motorcycles, cars and other vehicles. 

He dreamed a dream, and that dream was to find 'The One,' and kick some machine butt! Morpheus is a Redpill Resistance operative serving in Zion's defense force and is also Commander of the Nebuchadnezzar. He believes wholeheartedly in the Prophecy and has dedicated his life to finding 'The One' who will end the Machine War.

Not just a program, but a master manipulator. The Oracle is a program within the Matrix who aids Zion operatives in the resistance against the Machines. The Oracle's understanding of human psychology makes her practically clairvoyant and it is the Oracle who delivers the Prophecy of 'The One.' The advice and insights she gives to key players nudges them towards her end goal.

This program has attitude! Agent Smith is an agent of the Matrix – a security program whose primary mission is to eradicate any threat that may reveal the truth of the Matrix. Smith detests humans and thinks of them like a virus, spreading until every natural resource is consumed. His ultimate goal is to destroy Zion, the last remaining free, human city in the real world, so that he can be free of the Matrix and his role there. 

Six months after the events of the Matrix, the Machine War rages on, Neo has fully accepted his role as 'the One' and Morpheus delivers news that the machines are advancing on Zion. In their search for more information on the Matrix, Neo, Trinity and Morpheus consult the Oracle and are told to find the Keymaker who will help lead them to the Source.

Suspended in a limbo state between the Matrix and the machine world, Neo is trapped and the machines are advancing on Zion. The Oracle sends Trinity and Morpheus on a mission to retrieve him while Zion fortifies their defenses and prepares to make their last stand. Everything comes down to this final battle and, as if the machines weren't enough to worry about, Agent Smith has gone rogue and entered the real world with an agenda of his own.

Sixty years after the events of The Matrix Revolutions, Neo is back and must choose whether to follow the rabbit once more. A group of rebels rally to free Neo from this new version of the Matrix and together they fight a new enemy who holds Trinity captive. 

I was 30 years old when The Matrix came out, and I remember it like it was yesterday. I had a few hours to spare while waiting for my car to have some repairs done. I found a $1 Movie Theater nearby, playing some movie I had never heard of…worth a shot for a buck! My brain was not prepared to absorb what I watched, with this BRILLIANT film that was unlike anything I had ever seen (and I saw Star Wars on the big screen when I was 10)! 

Conceptually and visually, The Matrix was the first film I saw as an adult that transported me into another world. It was the first movie to make use of “Bullet Time," which has since become an action-sequence staple. Neo, Trinity & Morpheus are indelible characters that will continue to live on for generations to come. Happy 25^th Anniversary to The Matrix…The Red Pill will set you free!

- Alex Wer, Exhibitor Relations

While I love the Matrix series as a whole, the Animatrix is the one part of it that I adore the most. It's an incredible anthology that expands the universe, not only adding lore, but doing so with such distinct visual styles. I remember watching this for the first time in around 2004— I was so fascinated by it all, especially because I thought that the Matrix was just about the action (I know, it's so much more than that).

If you haven't seen it already, you definitely should. If not to explore the expanded universe of the Matrix, then to see the visuals on display, which can vary from action-packed to beautiful to down-right haunting and terrifying.

- Morgan Enriquez, Marketing Coordinator

The original 1999 Matrix movie blew me away with it’s revolutionary take on cyberspace and how living digital lives could take the place of the ‘real’ world and used against people. The ideas were original and the techniques they developed, especially “bullet time”, were ground-breaking.  

- Kevin Boyd, Comics Lead

A compilation of nine, short, anime films which expand the backstory of the Matrix franchise. The films follow the beginnings of the Machine War to events after the Matrix Revolutions. 

The Matrix boasts several major video games in its arsenal starting with Enter the Matrix and Path of Neo, which both followed the plots of movies from the original trilogy. The Matrix Online was an MMORPG which continued the story after the Matrix Revolutions. The Matrix Awakens is a 2021 open-world video game and technology demonstration developed by Epic Games using Unreal Engine 5. 

The Matrix Comics are a series of webcomics, short stories and pin-up art that are set in the Matrix universe. They were recently reprinted in a more complete volume for the 20th anniversary of the series.