Now thatThe Matrix 5is confirmed to be in the works, it’s the perfect time for another animated spinoff movie in the style ofThe Animatrix. In April 2024, Warner Bros. officially announced thatThe Matrix 5was in development. The studio was impressed by a pitch fromThe Cabin in the Woods’ Drew Goddard, who’s attached to write and direct the new movie. This will be the firstMatrixmovie not to be directed by either of the Wachowski sisters, although Lana Wachowski is on board as an executive producer, so she’ll help guide the vision.
There’s no word yet onwhether Keanu Reeves will reprise his role as Neo inThe Matrix 5, butThe Matrixsaga will continue on the big screen in some form. Whether it’s a direct continuation of the main storyline or a spinoff following a newcast ofMatrixcharacters, there will be another cinematic entry in this franchise. And the return ofThe Matrixfranchise means it’s the ideal time to revisit one of the greatest and most underappreciated expansions of the series from more than 20 years ago.
A Matrix Reboot Makes It The Perfect Time For An Animatrix Sequel
The Animatrix Was An Animated Matrix Spinoff Movie
In 2003, in betweenthe back-to-back releases ofThe Matrix ReloadedandThe Matrix Revolutions, the Wachowskis expanded the franchise’s lore even further with the animated spinoff movieThe Animatrix. Released straight to VHS and DVD by Warner Home Video,The Animatrixisa feature-length anime-style anthology compiling nine animated shorts that take place withinThe Matrixuniverse. The movie focuses on filling in the backstory ofThe Matrixtrilogy. It made fora perfect companion piece to the live-action movies, and a great little animated gem in its own right.
The Animatrixsold 2.7 million copies, generating $68 million in sales revenue.
As long as Warner Bros. is going back to expand onThe Matrixfranchise with a fifth movie, it’s the perfect time for anotherAnimatrixmovie. Direct-to-DVD movies are a thing of the past, but they’ve been replaced by straight-to-streaming releases. Warner Bros. is committed to filling its Max streaming service with content — that’s why the studio made the controversial decision to do day-and-date releases with its summer tentpole releases in 2021 — and a newAnimatrixmovie to complement the next live-action sequel would be a terrific addition to Max’s streaming library.
The Animatrix Was All About Expanding The Matrix’s Franchise With New Ideas
The Animatrix Didn’t Rely On The Past
The Animatrixset out to expandThe Matrixfranchise’s mythology with new ideas. Instead of just rehashing what audiences liked about the movies,it focused on showing audiences what the movies didn’t show them. One short revolves around the crew of the Osiris making a final stand against the Sentinels. One short explains how the first plugged-in humans became aware of the existence of the Matrix. One short, taken from the archives of The Machines, tells the story of humanity’s downfall and enslavement by A.I. through the lens of the creation myth from the Book of Genesis.
The Animatrix 20 Years Later: Does It Still Hold Up?
It’s been 20 years since The Animatrix was first released, and some may question if this anthology still holds up. The answer is a resounding YES.
It might’ve sounded cool to do a series of animated shorts about Neo’s battles with the Agents or Morpheus and Trinity’s adventures before they found “The One.” But there’s enough information in the movies to fill in those gaps, so it wouldn’t have really added much. WhatThe Animatrixdoes is ultimately much more exciting. It digs into the unseen history ofThe Matrixtimelineandintroduces a bunch of compelling new characters living in that universe. It would be fun to revisit that concept with a fresh batch of animated shorts.
The Matrix 5 Can Learn A Lot From The Animatrix’s Short Films
The Matrix 5 Needs To Bring In Fresh Ideas
The biggest mistake made bythe lastMatrixmovie,The Matrix Resurrections, is that it was hung up on the past. It started off with a meta storyline about the legacy of the franchise itself and the challenges of making a new sequel to it. Then, as it plunged Thomas Anderson back into the Matrix for another action-packed adventure, it just rehashed all the iconic moments from the original film. Agents showed up at his office, he put his hand through a mirror, and he heroically jumped off a roof.
That’s what made The Animatrix so great; instead of relying on nostalgia, it relied on the strength of this sci-fi universe and explored brand-new corners of it.
IfThe Matrix 5is going to succeed, then it needs to let go of nostalgia for the past and focus on new ideas and storylines. That’s what madeThe Animatrixso great; instead of relying on nostalgia, it relied on the strength of this sci-fi universe and explored brand-new corners of it. It’s high time Warner Bros. went back to the well for another animated anthology set in this curious digital world.
The Animatrix
Cast
The Animatrix is a collection of nine animated short films set in the universe of The Matrix. Released in 2003, the anthology delves into the origins of the Matrix, the war between humans and machines, and individual stories that expand on the film trilogy’s themes. Each segment is directed by a different filmmaker, blending various animation styles to explore the complex world created by the Wachowskis.
