The first trailer for The Matrix Resurrections has arrived – and all signs point towards it being the sequel we've longed for since the original.
Released on Warner Bros' social media channels on Thursday, September 9, the sci-fi movie's first trailer teases its mysterious plot, which suggests that Neo is suppressing events from the first trilogy using the series' iconic bull pills.
It isn't long, though, before he's pulled back into the world of The Matrix, judging by the trailer. The first official footage shows off plenty of high-octane action sequences and introduces new characters (and reunites us with old friends) among other surprises.
Everything is packed into a two-minute trailer, so if you blink, you'll miss something that may be significant. Thankfully, you can watch the first teaser as many times as you like below (check out our Matrix 4 trailer breakdown after):
The trailer appears to contain plenty, but not all, of the footage that was teased earlier this week on the film series' official website.
The site, which surprisingly went live on September 7 after years without an update, let fans to pick the red or blue pill to unlock snippets of The Matrix Resurrections' footage. Fans have poured over every detail since and, now that the trailer's out, we'll have even more stuff to speculate on.
Speaking of, our trailer breakdown theorizes what the plot will entail, who each new cast member could be portraying, potential new locations and more. Make sure you check it out to get our thoughts on what will go down later this year.
The Matrix Resurrections will launch simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max on December 22.
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Analysis: will The Matrix Resurrections revive the series?
Based on the footage (and the hype) so far, we're optimistic that it will. While The Matrix is one of the greatest sci-fi films of all-time, subsequent follow-ups weren't as well received. This is Wachowski's chance to bring back some glory to the series' reputation.
As part of Warner's 'Year of The Matrix' celebrations, The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions arrived within a six-month period of each other in 2003.
Both movies were fairly successful at the box office, but fans and critics alike weren't totally enamoured with the direction of the plot and the level of exposition. Some of the action sequences, character development (or lack thereof) and Revolutions' anticlimactic ending, too, were particular sore points for audiences.
The passage of time has softened some peoples' thoughts surrounding the latter two movies but, for the most part, those criticisms are just as valid 18 years on.
And that's why The Matrix Resurrections, and its trailer in particular, have been greeted with such fanfare. Diehard Matrix fans have been desperate for a new entry in the series, which would rectify (or retcon) the events of Reloaded and Revolutions – even if it only does so slightly.
We live in hope that The Matrix Resurrections will not only bring the series to new audiences, but also deliver a sequel that's in keeping with the original – maybe with a fresh, modern spin.
Bringing back key characters from the trilogy (and hiring some of the same actors in the process) will go a long way towards that. Telling a story that gives nods to its past while taking the franchise forward in new directions, too, should massively help.
Throw in plenty of over the top action set pieces and more Matrix lore, and The Matrix Resurrections should be the biggest film of the 2021 Holiday season. It's about time we received a worthy sequel to the original – and, based on its trailer, The Matrix Resurrections has the opportunity to deliver on that front.
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