This Underrated Matrix Movie From 21 Years Ago Proves Matrix 5 Can Work (Even Without Neo & Trinity)

Summary The Matrix 5 could be a standalone story like The Animatrix's shorts, expanding beyond Neo and Trinity.

Following The Animatrix's standalone approach would help The Matrix 5 separate itself from The Matrix Resurrections.

The Matrix Resurrections' box office flop suggests Matrix 5 should be a fresh story with little ties to previous films.

An underrated Matrix spinoff movie from 2003 proves The Matrix 5 can work, especially if it moves away from Neo and Trinity. As every Matrix movie since the original one has proved, creating sequels to one of the best movies of all time is a tricky mission. Neither The Matrix Reloaded nor The Matrix Revolutions could replicate the magic of the first film, whereas The Matrix Resurrections’ risky premise divided audiences and led to a disastrous box office performance. Not much is known about The Matrix 5’s story or premise, not even when it will take place in the Matrix timeline.

The Matrix 5 could also be a complete reboot, although that would be even trickier considering that the concept of a reboot already exists in the franchise from an in-universe perspective. It is also unclear whether Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss will return for Matrix 5. Assuming the new film will follow different characters, the Matrix franchise once proved that there can be great stories that do not rely on Neo.

The Animatrix Proves The Matrix Universe Can Work Without Neo & Trinity

The Animatrix’s standalone shorts didn’t rely on established characters

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More than 20 years after its release, The Animatrix remains one of the best things to come out of The Matrix’s expanded universe.

The Animatrix (2003), a collection of shorts released as part of the massive marketing campaign leading up to The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions in what became known as the “Year of the Matrix,” proves that this universe can work without Neo and Trinity. The Animatrix’s shorts are the perfect example of how to tell a Matrix story without relying on what the movies have done, which is exactly what The Matrix 5 needs. The world created by the Wachowskis for The Matrix is incredibly rich and can welcome new stories that go beyond Neo’s journey.

While Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss reprised their roles as Neo and Trinity, respectively, in a couple of The Animatrix shorts, most of the animated movies follow original characters. Likewise, while some shorts like The Second Renaissance and Final Flight of the Osiris directly tied into the movies, others could have happened at any point in The Matrix timeline. Regardless if The Matrix 5 is a reboot, prequel, or sequel, it has the chance to tell a brand-new story set in a universe that is full of possibilities This is arguably why The Animatrix worked so well.

The Matrix 5 Can Be A Standalone Story (Like The Animatrix Shorts)

Most Animatrix shorts didn’t tie directly into the movies

More than 20 years after its release, The Animatrix remains one of the best things to come out of The Matrix’s expanded universe. Whereas The Matrix’s sequels were divisive and removed some of the magic that came with the first film’s self-contained approach, The Animatrix successfully expanded the saga’s lore. Interestingly, The Animatrix, just like most of the expanded Matrix universe, is considered canon. However, more importantly than its canon status, The Animatrix’s approach to the franchise’s complex universe is what should serve as an inspiration for the next Matrix movie.

The Animatrix's Shorts Title Director The Second Renaissance Mahiro Maeda Program Yoshiaki Kawajiri World Record Takeshi Koike Kid's Story Shinichirō Watanabe Beyond Kōji Morimoto A Detective Story Shinichirō Watanabe Matriculated Peter Chung Final Flight of the Osiris Andy Jones

The Matrix 5, just like The Animatrix’s shorts, should be a standalone story that exists beyond what the movies have shown. Considering the original Matrix trilogy takes place in the sixth iteration of the simulation, a new film could perhaps explore one of the previous versions of the Matrix. The Matrix 5 could also technically be a sequel to The Matrix Resurrections, which doesn’t mean it has to build up from where the fourth film left things off. The Animatrix shows that the Matrix universe is too big to revolve around Neo only and that a standalone movie can work.

Neo's voice can be heard in Kid's Story, whereas A Detective Story features Trinity.

The Matrix 5 Following The Animatrix’s Approach Would Avoid A Big Sequel Problem

The new movie needs to distance itself from The Matrix Resurrections

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The Matrix Resurrections’ meta-commentary on the industry and the very process leading up to the making of a fourth Matrix movie makes it difficult to compare it with the previous trilogy. Still, from a commercial standpoint only, The Matrix Resurrections was a box office bomb that killed any chances of an immediate sequel featuring the same cast. It must be noted that The Matrix Resurrections’ ending did not necessarily ask for a sequel, but the franchise is simply too big for new installments not to happen. This is why The Matrix 5’s announcement was hardly a surprise.

Related Matrix 5's Wachowski Replacement Means The $1.7 Billion Franchise's Future Is Exciting Again Confirmation that The Matrix 5 is happening without the Wachowski siblings came as a shock, but their replacement could be a great choice.

The Matrix Resurrections grossed $159,2 on a reported budget of $190 million (via The Numbers), making it not only the lowest-grossing Matrix movie but a massive box office bomb. While the pandemic context in which the movie was released must be taken into consideration, Matrix 4 made it difficult for the franchise to continue. This is why The Matrix 5 would benefit from being a completely standalone story with little to no ties to previous films, similar to how movies like Prey or Alien: Romulus positioned themselves as fresh starts for their respective cinematic sagas.

Sources: The Numbers