seconds? That simply does not sound right.

December 22nd, 2002-------------------------

First, we remain stunned by the level of online interest and support. Within seconds of our posting the riddle, people were trying to solve it. Incredible.

Now, the answer to the riddle is:

A double issue cover story in NEWSWEEK, on stands today.

The article is peppered with spoilers, so be warned. The images, however, speak for themselves. The particular gem is the cover, a VFX shot where Neo is doing the impossible, just under the NEWSWEEK logo.

The article is online at: www.newsweek.com

You want more, you say? Sure (but we're not calling this an update). For those who want a better understanding of how THE MATRIX came into existence, THE 2ND RENAISSANCE is the place to start. This epic anime story tells of the many steps that led to the first war between man and machine. This will be the first episode to be released for THE ANIMATRIX, a collection of Matrix based anime shorts. Be prepared, as this particular history lesson gives visceral insights that are far beyond what is currently known about THE MATRIX. Written by Larry and Andy Wachowski and directed by Mahiro Maeda (BLUE SUBMARINE No. 6).

Coming in February, THE 2ND RENAISSANCE: PART ONE will be the first of THE ANIMATRIX episodes to launch, with more to follow. In fact, there will be new episodes to download right through the months leading to the event we are all waiting for, the May 15th premier of THE MATRIX: RELOADED. While we are not releasing all nine online (as there is a DVD on the way), those we are encoding will be complete and uncut, pulled directly from the digital source files.

December 21st, 2002-------------------------

In the spirit of the holidays, and on the Saturday before Christmas, we present a riddle:

What is not a trailer, or a forthcoming Animatrix episode, or the new poster, or a video preview of Enter The Matrix, or even a site update, but will have everyone talking about THE MATRIX on Sunday, December 22nd?       

TheMatrix.com

December 13th, 2002-------------------------

We are about to come to another milestone in the production of THE MATRIX: RELOADED and THE MATRIX: REVOLUTIONS.

The last days of miniature shooting is winding down, aiming to wrap on Tuesday. While we resist the urge to say exactly what is going on here, we can say that they have been working for over eight months, and that the crew on this unit have been referring to the sets as "bigatures." Most of these sets stand dozens of feet in the air. For the past many months, on any given day, the ground shakes, as explosive charges detonate and the set is destroyed, allowing for another few seconds of footage. It is painstaking and, sometimes, dangerous work. The playback monitors, however, reveal shots with a sense of scale that dwarf any preconceived notions of vast.

We can definitely answer one question: it is very disconcerting to write at a laptop while explosions are going off about thirty feet away.

With that, we bring you a batch of new photos. Click here to see the latest.

Have a great weekend.

TheMatrix.com



December 4th, 2002-------------------------

We've a few new items here at the site.

First, a new game, a retro-styled arcade game where you are Trinity. Blast, grenade, and jump your way to saving a child potential. He's being held in an agent secured building at the corner of Lafayette and Bedford. Find the child, get to the roof, and escape via an awaiting helicopter. Time is short. Click here to begin.

Next up is a new area of articles at the site written by members of The Matrix crew. This first batch includes articles by Adam Grace (Props and Model Department) and Jim Leng (Breakaway Department). Both of these craftsman look back at some of the key sequences in the first film, such as the Government Lobby and the Helicopter crash, revealing some of the tricks they used to pull these sequences off. For this batch of five articles, click here.

Joining the interview section we have Marc Gabbana, Concept Consultant, and Tony Kieme, Storyboard Artist. They were a part of pre-production, where the films were first mapped out visually. These artists, along with the rest of the art department, and in close collaboration with Larry and Andy Wachowski, helped push the highly evolved style that has become so distinctive of THE MATRIX. If the trend is not already apparent, look for many more of these crew (and soon, actor) interviews as we get closer to May 15th. Check out the ever growing interview section, here.

One more thing.

This update also has a spanking new version of the first theatrical trailer. For those with computers that can handle it, we've encoded a version that can best be described as BIG. At 1024x464, and over 80mb (uncompressed), this is a way to get a little bit closer to the first chunk of footage released for the sequels. Again, we used the 2k digital source files, bypassing any issues from NTSC or PAL interlacing. While this is not for older computers -- and we recommend a fairly beefy computer -- this translates into pure unadulterated image. If you can handle it, give it a go. Here.

More shortly.


TheMatrix.com



November 20 , 2002-------------------------

Wondering just how deep the rabbit-hole goes? Wonder no more: the official "Philosophy & The Matrix" section is now online.

Click here to go directly to the introduction. The initial launch includes essays from the philosophers Colin McGinn, Hubert & Stephen Dreyfus, Richard Hanley, and Iakovos Vasiliou; from cognitive scientist Kevin Warwick; and from professors of religion Frances Flannery-Dailey and Rachel Wagner.

Want to find out more about these folks? You can find the contributors page here. We will be continually updating this section, so check back for more essays exploring the philosophical issues raised by both the original film and the sequels.

In other news... New desktops have arrived! Click here to check them out.

TheMatrix.com


August 27, 2002-------------------------


The latest updates:

1. The Animatrix Preview Trailer.

2. A new comic book pin-up by Stuart Immonen (currently gracing the pages of THE INCREDIBLE HULK).

3. A new comic book pin-up by Troy Nixey (of TROUT fame).

4. Also, new to the site is a SEARCH feature.

Back to packing...

TheMatrix.com


August 26th, 2002-------------------------

It is truly amazing how fast THE MATRIX crew is closing down here in Sydney, Australia; crates as big as some NYC apartments are being filled with all the many physical "things" that make up a year long shooting schedule. Amidst wrapping and packing and shipping, TheMatrix.com team continues to prepare updates. Among them, The Animatrix preview trailer. For those following the Breaking News closely, yes, we did use the noncommittal term "shortly" to announce the online release of this preview trailer. This could not be helped, as a specific definition of "shortly" reads: an imprecise near-future date, which allows for time-delaying snafus to crop up (which in this case was legal clearances).

The latest release schedule is far more precise:

The Animatrix Preview Trailer @ TheMatrix.com
August 27th @ 18:03:03s in NYC, 15:03:03s in LA
August 28th @ 08:03:03s in Sydney, 07:03:03s in Tokyo

This first preview trailer is roughly 30 seconds. It is designed to let those unfamiliar with The Animatrix learn of the project's existence, and find out that all nine episodes will be released on DVD and video. For those following The Animatrix for some time, this news does not negate the planned online release of many of the episodes @ TheMatrix.com. More shortly...


TheMatrix.com
 


August 23rd, 2002-------------------------

The Australian leg of principal photography has wrapped! First Unit came to
an end on 8/21/2002 @ 9pm (or, as some have been saying around production, wrap was at 42). This was also the birthday of Carrie-Anne Moss, who, back on this date in 1997, was told she had the role of Trinity. The other principal photography units had already shot their last roll of film the night before, 2nd Unit ending at 10:30pm and 3rd Unit ending closer to midnight. The cast and crew party was last night here in Sydney, and went until 4am.

Our update today includes audio from only a few hours before the wrap party, an extract from an interview with the Australian 2nd Unit Director, Kimble Rendall. Click HERE to listen to Kimble talking about this latest milestone, the wrap of principal photography for both THE MATRIX: RELOADED and REVOLUTIONS.

TheMatrix.com



August 2nd, 2002 • 2nd report-------------------------

As there has been a strong response from the cards (or more precisely, the images on the cards), here's one more thing on THE ANIMATRIX. There is a trailer in the works. Just shy of one minute, it shows scenes from most of the episodes, in motion. See it here shortly. Or see it tomorrow @ 2:30 at the San Diego Comic Con (Room 20).

TheMatrix.com

August 2nd, 2002-------------------------

For those going to San Diego Comic Convention this weekend, you might want to check out the 2:30 panel that Warner Bros. has scheduled. There, in what we're told is a small plastic bag, and amidst other WB items, you will be handed a pack of ten preview cards for THE MATRIX anime series, THE ANIMATRIX. To see what 5000 people will be getting, check out the digital version HERE. Apologize to all those unable to attend, not to mention those who get there 10 seconds too late -- 5000 just ain’t that many!

July 3rd, 2002----------------------------

New interviews are up. Kym Barrett, Costume Designer for all three MATRIX films, talks about working with Larry and Andy Wachowski, complications of costumes for stunts, and the comic book look of the film. Also, from the US camera crew, Kim Marks and Steven Buckingham, describe the challenges of working on THE MATRIX film set, from behind the camera.

For those that have seen the just released teaser here at the site, it's true: the poster looks different in person. Why? Because of how it is printed. Instead of ordinary poster stock, this has a bottom layer of reflective foil. The result is a 3D like depth to the code. This is only the first teaser poster, so keep alert: more are coming. In the meantime, see a movie this weekend and take a few minutes to read some code. It's kind of cool to stare at.

Related news has us reminding people about the never released teaser posters from the first film, which can be seen in the poster section for the first film. Click HERE to see THE FETUS POD and click HERE for one we refer to as THE WATERFALL (used on the cover of THE ART OF THE MATRIX).

More news soon...

July 1st, 2002----------------------------

The first official teaser poster for THE MATRIX sequels is now online: click here.

June 29th, 2002----------------------------

It's coming. The first sequel related poster. Sooner rather than later. Look for the first teaser poster to THE MATRIX sequels in theaters over the July 4th weekend. For those who want to see it ahead of the pack, we're putting it up at TheMatrix.com a few days early. For those interested, you might want to click back on July 1st.

Other news has our web team continuing to sit with cast and crew. A cluster of three new interviews will be released midweek. Among them, Kym Barrett, the costume designer for all three MATRIX films.

More shortly...

June 6th, 2002----------------------------

A few weeks ago we launched a new pin up by Gregory Ruth, now you can read his full story, the two part, RETURN OF THE PRODIGAL SON. It centers on Jimmy Scarvone, a criminal way out of his depths. He masterminds a heist that goes from bad, to unthinkably bad. Agents are involved, as are a number of dead rebels. If you ever wondered what happens to the people Agents take over, this story might shed some illuminating light on the subject. Read it HERE.

Also just up, a new preview image from Troy Nixey, who is currently working on a story simply titled: A SWORD OF A DIFFERENT COLOR. For this, click HERE.

More comics soon…
TheMatrix.com

May 16th, 2002----------------------------

The teaser is up.

If you haven't seen it yet, click here.

More shortly...

TheMatrix.com

May 15th, 2002----------------------------

The first teaser trailer is going live in just a couple of hours. To whet your appetite, we've got a teaser to the teaser up now. Considering the global nature of the site, it's a tad confusing to say more than "in a couple of hours", but here goes...

If you're in Sydney, where THE MATRIX sequels are currently being filmed, you'll be able to see it from 2pm, Thursday May 16th. In Los Angeles it'll be live on the site from 9pm, Wednesday May 15th. Londoners will be able to download it after Big Ben chimes 5am, Thursday May 16th. New York = midnight. The bottom line: it'll be everywhere simultaneously, so if you need to see it straight away and are in another locale, it can be worked out.

Who knows, we might even post it a few minutes early...

May 13th, 2002----------------------------

The first teaser to the MATRIX: RELOADED and THE MATRIX: REVOLUTIONS is set to be released on Wednesday May 15th, with its world premier on Entertainment Tonight. To see it in theaters, it will be attached to a certain film due out this week. If you miss it, don't worry, you can view it here, at www.TheMatrix.com, directly after its final airing on Entertainment Tonight. That's roughly 9pm PST, May 15th.

For this online release, we've decided to go digital... this is THE MATRIX, after all. We compressed this first teaser directly from the 2K digital source files, over 20 gigabytes of data. Why'd we bother? No scan lines, capable of far higher resolutions, zero transfer loss. More shortly.

TheMatrix.com

May 3rd, 2002----------------------------

It's FREE COMIC DAY tomorrow, when, for a short window of time, you can drop into your local comic shop and pick up selected free comics. This is important for fans of THE MATRIX because one of our online stories set in the world of THE MATRIX will be seen for the first time in print: David Lapham's THERE ARE NO FLOWERS IN THE REAL WORLD.

This free giveaway has been printed as a 'flip' comic book that has David Lapham's MATRIX story at one end, and at the other an issue of his acclaimed comic STRAY BULLETS (#2: VICTIMOLOGY). But be quick because only limited copies are available.

We're also please to announce the third series of online MATRIX comics. One of the preview images is by Kaare Andrews (current cover artist on The Incredible Hulk and Spider-Man), who is working on a very cool story, which we'll have more on soon. This is Kaare's first foray into the world of THE MATRIX. The other image, a pretty slick shot of an Agent, is by Greg Ruth, who returns for a second story. Check out his first, A PATH AMONG STONES, in series 2.

Read all the current stories and get some more details on series 3, here.

More soon.

April 3rd, 2002 ----------------------------

Part of what makes an actor believable in any role is their costume. Many actors ‘become’ their character as soon as they slip into their signature jacket, boots, glasses, or other piece of costume. The look of THE MATRIX costumes are very particular, established in the original film by the Costume Designer, Kym Barrett, in collaboration with the Directors, Larry & Andy Wachowski. Individual costumes and the overall look of THE MATRIX 2 and 3 costumes continues to be designed by Kym Barrett. Her team of Costumers spend hours building and detailing each costume by hand, ensuring no stitches are out of place for the unforgiving screen.

Costume Cutter Gloria Bava, who helped develop Neo’s and Morpheus’s original costumes, is one of the many behind the creation of the costumes for the sequels. In an interview, Gloria gives insight into the costumes Keanu Reeves and Laurence Fishburne wore in the first film, and what it is like working with Kym Barrett, then and now. She also touches on the differences between film and other mediums, discusses the implications of building costumes for Special Effects shots, and hints at fabrics we’ll see in the sequels.

To help put the massive task of costuming the sequels into perspective, a scene was shot in Alameda that required 900 Extras, therefore 900 costumes. These Extras came from all over the San Francisco Bay area, some from even farther afield, and all had to have their costumes individually fitted. An interview with Matthew Rutter, an Extra in that scene, reveals a different perspective on costuming, and we also learn about his experience on the day.



March 11th, 2002 ----------------------------

A couple of weeks ago, while most were getting into bed, an evening shoot took Second Unit to a power station in inner Sydney to film an explosion – between 11.25pm and 11.29pm on February 14th, to be precise. This set took weeks of designing, planning and building, and was destroyed in three seconds– check out the photo.

Is a set to be annihilated so quickly and completely approached in a different way? Read how Godric Cole one of the team of Set Designers approached the set that was detonated on February 14th.

Other new content includes interviews with Kristen Davis, a Computer Set Designer in Los Angeles, and David Ellis, the Second Unit Director  in Alameda last year. Enjoy.



February 20, 2002 ----------------------------

Shooting for THE MATRIX sequels began almost one year ago. While there was a massive amount of pre-production (which the web-site will explore in detail), principle photography began in Alameda on Monday March 26th 2001, and wrapped on Wednesday June 27th. Those sixty-six days covered shooting on three major sets, and while many might say this is long enough to shoot an entire feature, this was only the beginning for the sequels to THE MATRIX.

After a two-month break, the cameras began rolling anew in Sydney, Australia, where filming remains in full swing. Many of the people who worked on the first film here in Sydney, have returned. The same Armorers are back, as is the Costume Designer, Art Director and Production Designer. The First AD is on set once more, many of the Special Effects crew have returned, as has the Visual Effects Supervisor. Shooting schedules can be pretty tough, as many working days are often in excess of 12 hours. If you like having a life outside of the job, stay away from film.

REDPILL, the internet team behind the first MATRIX, is back as well. Involved in all aspects of the production since pre-production began, we have been capturing content virtually non-stop. No department is being left out, as we talk to everyone, on both continents, covering the Stunt crews, the Special Effects crews, Costumers, Set Designers, Props Makers, Pre-visualization Artists, Model makers, actors, stand-ins, and more… and we’re still talking.

Remain plugged in: WhatIsTheMatrix.com

January 26th---------------------------------------------
On-line now, the 12th story in the 2nd series of MATRIX comics.

"AN ASSET TO THE SYSTEM."

BY TROY NIXEY

Check it out here.

December 23rd ---------------------------------------------
Next up, Bill Sienkiewicz with his story: BROADCAST DEPTH. Besides being a great story, there's a hidden quicktime movie in there, somewhere, so you might want to look for it.

Sequel pre-production is moving at an amazing clip... the new year brings some exciting developments. As always, this will be the place to hear about them...

Have a healthy and happy holidays...