What is the order of the Matrix movies?

In 1999, sci-fi action movie, The Matrix uploaded itself into cinemas. The film followed the story of a computer programmer who discovers he is living in a virtual simulation of the real world, designed to keep him content while machines use his body as a power source.

Opening to rave reviews from critics, and a very positive response from audiences, The Matrix was one of the big success stories of 1999. The film took over $465 million at the box office, from a budget of $63 million, and helped to launch a franchise that included sequels, as well as a direct-to-video spin-off.

But how many Matrix movies are there and what is the correct viewing order? For all the details and more, prepare yourself for a data dump!

__

The Matrix movies

The Matrix (1999)

As noted above, the first entry in the sci-fi movie series was 1999’s The Matrix. Set in a dystopian future, the film followed the story of Thomas ‘Neo’ Anderson, a computer hacker who stumbles upon an uncomfortable truth.

Neo and almost every other human on the planet is trapped inside a simulated reality known as the Matrix. The Matrix is overseen by intelligent machines, which keep humans subdued in order to use their bodies as a fuel source. (136 mins)

The Animatrix (2003)

With The Matrix being both a critical and commercial success, a collection of sequels was put into production. The first of these sequels was the direct-to-video Japanese animated anthology film, The Animatrix.

Composed of nine short films, The Animatrix told a collection of side stories designed to tie into the original movie as well as the subsequent live-action sequels (see below). The Animatrix also revealed events which led to the apocalyptic war between humans and machines, which in turn resulted in the creation of the Matrix.

The short films in The Animatrix included: Final Flight of the Osiris, The Second Renaissance Part I, The Second Renaissance Part II, Program, World Record, Kid’s Story, Beyond, A Detective Story, andMatriculated. (102 mins)

The Matrix Reloaded (2003)

Back to live-action now for The Matrix Reloaded. This film picked up the story six months after the events of The Matrix, with Neo romantically involved with fellow rebel, Trinity, and the fate of humanity hanging in the balance.

In the movie, an army of Sentinels is on the way to destroy rebel ships. Meanwhile, Neo is sent on a mission to meet with a program called the Architect – the supposed creator of the Matrix. (138 mins)

The Matrix Revolutions (2003)

Filmed back-to-back with The Matrix Reloaded, and released six months apart, The Matrix Revolutionscontinued the story where its predecessor left off. This time around, Neo learns his enemy, Agent Smith, has plans to destroy both the Matrix and the real world. (129 mins)

The Matrix Resurrections (2021)

Following the release of The Matrix Revolutions, The Matrix movie series appeared to have come to an end. However, in 2021 the series was revived with the appropriately titled belated sequel, The Matrix Resurrections.

Set sixty years after the events of Revolutions, Neo appears to be living an ordinary life as a video game developer, but is struggling to distinguish fantasy and reality. He also has a new enemy to contend with. (148 mins)

The Matrix movies in order

To date there are five entries in the Matrix movie series. Four live-action films and one animated entry.

The Matrix movies appear in the following order:

• The Matrix (1999)
• The Animatrix (2003)
• The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
• The Matrix Revolutions (2003)
• The Matrix Resurrections (2021)

If you simply want to watch the live-action movies, skipping the animated film completely, then follow this list:

• The Matrix (1999)
• The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
• The Matrix Revolutions (2003)
• The Matrix Resurrections (2021)

__

Are all of the Matrix movies part of the same series and is The Animatrix essential viewing?

All five movies are part of the same collection, although The Animatrix differs from the rest of the series as it is a direct-to-video animated title which focuses on side stories.

The Animatrix was designed as a companion piece to the main series. It is not considered essential viewing, but those who want to learn some of the lore from the Matrix universe will find some interesting stories in here.

__

Who are the cast of the Matrix movies and are the films the work of the same director?

Notable cast members in the Matrix movie series include Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Laurence Fishburne, Hugo Weaving, Joe Pantoliano, Gloria Foster, Ada Nicodemou, Jada Pinkett Smith, Monica Bellucci, Lambert Wilson, Gina Torres, Bruce Spence, Daniel Bernhardt, Neil Patrick Harris, Christina Ricci, Kevin Michael Richardson, John DiMaggio, Tom Kenny, Dwight Schultz, and Tara Strong.

In terms of directors, The Matrix movie series is the work of the following:

• Lana and Lilly Wachowski (collectively known as ‘The Wachowskis’) directed The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded, and The Matrix Revolutions
• Lana Wachowski directed The Matrix Resurrections
• KōJi Morimoto, Shinichiro Watanabe, Mahiro Maeda, Peter Chung, Andy Jones, Yoshiaki Kawajiri, and Takeshi Koike directed The Animatrix

__

And finally, which is the best Matrix movie?

According to IMDb, the Matrix movies are rated as follows:

• The Matrix (1999) – 8.7/10
• The Animatrix (2003) – 7.3/10
• The Matrix Reloaded (2003) – 7.2/10
• The Matrix Revolutions (2003) – 6.7/10
• The Matrix Resurrections (2022) – 5.7/10

—

Editor/writer/The One

Alex Wiggan

—

Thank you for stopping by It’s A Stampede! to read this post about the Matrix movies – I hope it has proved useful. For more useful posts, be sure to check out the recommended reads below.