The Matrix is already over 15 years old (we're all old!) and its sequels were released more than 10 years ago, but their impact is still felt to this day. The Wachowski siblings built a massive film franchise that broke records, changed film, and woke everybody up. The Matrix movies are full of depth, nuance, and detail, unlike few other series. There's plenty of Matrix trivia you might not know, interesting Matrix facts to learn, and a host of Easter eggs, but it's all collected here for your enjoyment and education!
The first Matrix film redefined cinema, or at the very least its genre. By the mid 2000s (within 5 years of its release) the bullet time scene had been spoofed/used in more than 20 wide release films. The Matrix Reloaded, when it was released, held the title of highest grossing R-rated movie of all time, until Jesus himself had to come take the title from Neo (in The Passion of the Christ). The Matrix Revolutions was only the second movie ever to release simultaneously in standard theaters and IMAX, setting the standard we live by to this day.
The trilogy changed movies, and movie going, no matter how you look it at. Plus, it still holds up amazingly well more than a decade later (you can't say that about a lot of the imitators that followed.) So sit back and enjoy these facts you probably didn't know about The Matrix Trilogy. There's more to these films than meets the eye.
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Will Smith Almost Played Neo
Will Smith was approached to play Neo, but turned down the offer in order to star in Wild Wild West (1999). He later admitted that, at the time, he was "not mature enough as an actor" and that, if given the role, he "would have messed it up."
Plus, it wouldn't be The Matrix without Keanu.
Neo's Wardrobe Reflected His Self Esteem
For Keanu Reeves’s scenes set in the real world at the start of the film, his costumes were deliberately shabby and ill-fitting to suggest Thomas Anderson's feeling of not quite fitting into the world.
The Wachowskis Used Their Entire Initial Budget to Shoot One Scene
When the Wachowskis approached Warner Bros with the idea of The Matrix, Warners balked at the budget they submitted, which was over $80 million. Warners instead agreed to give them $10 million. The Wachowskis took the money and filmed the first ten minutes of the movie (the opening scene with Carrie-Anne Moss) using the entire $10 million. They then showed the Warner Bros executives the opening scene, which impressed them so much that they green-lit the original asking budget.
In Memory of Thomas Anderson
In the last scene of The Matrix Revolutions, the bench the Oracle sits on has a small metal dedication plate on it that reads "in Memory of Thomas Anderson."
Belinda McClory Only Auditioned for Half of Switch
When Belinda McClory auditioned for the role of Switch, she was only going for half the role. The character was originally planned to be played by a pair of androgynous actors. In the real world, it would be played by a male actor and in the Matrix it would be represented by a female, hence the name Switch. Warner Brothers nixed the idea and McClory ended up playing a single female role in both environments.
The Shootout Took Forever and the Scenery Improvised
After the lobby shootout, the camera pans back, showing the aftermath of the gunfight in the lobby. During this, a piece of one of the pillars falls off. This happened by coincidence during the filming and was not planned, but was left in since it seemed appropriate.
The entire shootout scene took 10 days to film.
Real World Scenes and Matrix Scenes Have Different Coloring
All the scenes that take place within the Matrix have a green tint, as if you're watching them through a computer monitor, while scenes that take place in the real world have normal coloring. The fight scene between Morpheus and Neo, which is not in the real world or in the Matrix, is tinted yellow.
MetaCortex Wasn't a Random Name
Neo works for the company MetaCortex. The roots of this word are "meta-" (meaning "going beyond or higher, transcending"), and "-cortex" (meaning "the outer layer (boundary) of gray matter surrounding the brain").
Thus, MetaCortex means "transcending the boundaries of the brain," which is precisely what Neo proceeds to do.
Morpheus: The God of Dreams
In Greek mythology Morpheus is the god of dreams. This is somewhat ironic considering Morpheus's role in the films is to awaken people from their dream states to reality.
Neo Has a Lot of Questions
In the first 45 minutes of the film, Neo (Keanu Reeves) has 80 lines. 44 of these lines are questions, just over half of his total dialogue, averaging at roughly one question per minute.