Here’s what you need to know before watching The Matrix Resurrections

In this article we list everything you still need to know before you start The Matrix Resurrections.

After years of waiting, The Matrix Resurrections can finally be seen in the cinemas and via HBO Max. Since the last full-length movie came out about 18 years ago, a memory refresh might be in order. That’s why in this article some things you still need to know before you start The Matrix Resurrections.

What you need to know for The Matrix Resurrections?

To start with a straight leg: the latest Matrix film is quite a setback. It hardly explains things that have anything to do with the old movies. Many storylines are crammed into Resurrections unexplained for no apparent reason. In short, you don’t really need to know anything when it comes to the film.

Spoiler alert!

Trilogy recap

But super fans are undoubtedly not satisfied with that and still want to start well prepared for Resurrections. So here’s a short recap of the end of the original trilogy:

Humans appear to live in a simulation called the Matrix. This machine-created world was developed after machines took over the Earth, growing humans in slimy pods like batteries. One of those people, Neo, is mistaken by Morpheus as The Ware and must save humanity before the machines destroy the last “free” settlement of Zion.

Neo learns to control the Matrix and eventually saves humanity from extermination by making a deal with the machines; he enters the Matrix to defeat the corrupt program, Agent Smith, and Zion remains free. Smith then poses a threat to the Matrix and thus to the neural network that powers the machines.

On the way to the machine world, Trinity dies and Neo also ostensibly sacrifices himself to save the world. Later, Morpheus is also killed (in The Matrix Online). Basically, all three main characters from the original trilogy are actually dead. Yet they come back..

Continuation of The Matrix

Without spoiling The Matrix Resurrections, we can say that the Matrix restarts at the end of the third film. This time, there must be a long peace between the machines and humanity thanks to Neo’s sacrifice. People are allowed to leave the Matrix somewhat unimpeded to continue living in the real world. But the Matrix continues to exist and machines continue to rule the planet.

Thanks to that peace, the sixth Matrix reboot (not to be confused with the reboot movie Resurrections) can now be seen in the latest movie. As the trailer shows, this is a less restrictive, freer Matrix. Strangely enough, Neo, Trinity and Morpheus also exist in it. You will have to discover for yourself how that works.