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The Animatrix proved that anime series and movies can enhance Hollywood franchises like The Matrix, suggesting Terminator Zero will do the same. The animation medium allows stories to go beyond live-action limitations, making it perfect for sci-fi franchises like Terminator. Terminator Zero, helmed by Production I.G, is set to release on August 29, 2024.

Terminator Zero is an upcoming Netflix anime based on the Terminator franchise, and while this is a first for the saga that began in 1984, there is a sci-fi anime based on a different American franchise that proves it will work. Terminator Zero is more exciting than Terminator 7 for many reasons, starting from the fact that the Terminator franchise has only had one TV show since its inception, The Sarah Connor Chronicles. The anime series will be set in 1997, which is the year Judgment Day happened in Terminator 2s original timeline.

Timothy Olyphant has been cast in Terminator Zero,...

This article contains Major Spoilers for The Acolyte.

Star Wars: The Acolytes biggest boast prior to its release was its bounty of original characters, as well as a stellar cast. Fans were shocked when Jedi Master Indara, played by Carrie-Anne Moss, was killed in the first half of the first episode.

In an interview with GamesRadar, The Acolytes showrunner Leslye Headland opened up about the shows shocking premiere, and the need to show the Jedi Orders vulnerability. "From a filmmaker perspective, I just felt like with the cold open, especially with a new story, that you just have to go hard," Headland said. "You have to say the Jedi are going to take some Ls; you're not going to know who the good guys and the bad guys are. And it's going to feel very visceral."

Related The Acolyte Star Compares Character's Dark Arc to The Phantom Menace

Yord Fandars...

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga was first conceived as an anime project and has been ready for 15 years from a story-completion point of view. The Mad Max prequel producers, Doug Mitchell, and filmmaker George Miller, confirmed they had already cracked the story before shooting the acclaimed franchise entry, Fury Road.

Per GamesRadar, Mitchell made the disclosure to Total Film, "So Furiosa was ready, in a story sense, 15 years ago," he said. "And it's been percolating, the way things do in George's brain, ever since." Miller confirmed that it was indeed the case, stating "We had finished the script of Furiosa before we shot Fury Road." The producers first envisioned Furiosa as an anime project, previously titled The Peach, with Mahiro Maeda set to helm the film. Maeda has an extensive resume in the genre, having worked on numerous other projects, including the classic Neon Genesis Evangelion and one of the short films in The Animatrix.

"World Record" from The Animatrix introduced new ways to break free from the Matrix's capabilities. The short opens the possibility for characters to manipulate the Matrix, expanding the franchise. The concept from "World Record" could drive Matrix 5 forward without Neo and Trinity.

The upcoming The Matrix 5 should look to one of The Animatrix's best segments for inspiration. Released between The Matrix and The Matrix Reloaded, The Animatrix is a collection of short films from a number of different animation studios. The anthology expanded the universe of The Matrix by exploring the lore of the franchise and answering questions about the Matrix, all while introducing new characters both within and outside the Matrix itself.

Some elements of the film directly impacted the original Matrix trilogy, like "Kid's Story" and "Final Flight of the Osiris," while others were more focused on exploring the history of the universe and the various denizens of the simulated world.

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.

Alien: Romulus star Cailee Spaeny is ready to leave her mark on the science fiction genre. The actor, who is best known for her portrayal of Priscilla Presley in 2023's Priscilla, recently revealed the other long-running and popular sci-fi franchise that she is itching to join.

Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter about her new movie, Civil War, Spaeny expressed interest in reuniting with writer/director Drew Goddard on The Matrix 5. The two previously worked together on the 2018 film, Bad Times at the El Royale. "I've even got my Matrix coat here," said the actor, grabbing her black leather jacket draped over her chair. "I would do anything with Drew Goddard. He is such a mastermind, and I am so excited for him. So, yes, let’s get that out there and see what happens. Let’s manifest it."

Related The Acolyte: New Look at Carrie-Anne Moss' Matrix-Inspired Jedi Master Revealed...

Three years after The Matrix Resurrections, Warner Bros. is gearing up to return to the Matrix. Drew Goddard, best known for creating Netflix's Daredevil, is attached to write, direct, and produce an untitled fifth installment in the sci-fi franchise.

According to Variety, Warner Bros. is already in development on Matrix 5, which will be the first installment not directed by Lana or Lily Wachowski. However, Lana — who helmed 2021's The Matrix Resurrections — is attached as an executive producer. At this time, franchise stars Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss' involvement in Matrix 5 remains unknown. They have appeared in all four live-action Matrix movies, as well as the animated The Animatrix, as Neo and Trinity, respectively.

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Related 25 Movie Endings That Make No Sense Even On A Rewatch While many complex movies work hard to justify their confusing endings, even devoted fans can't make sense of every ambitious finale. Close Who Is Drew Goddard?...

The Zion dance scene in The Matrix Reloaded is one of the worst in the franchise due to poor CGI and awkward imagery. The scene's attempt to highlight humanity's choice over conformity is overshadowed by its amateurish execution. Despite its intentions, the Zion dance scene is stylistically and tonally different from the rest of the franchise, making it one of the sequel's worst moments.

Although The Matrix Reloaded features plenty of impressive imagery, well-choreographed fight scenes, and thought-provoking writing that have made the franchise famous, one bad scene in particular is decidedly worse 21 years after the movie's theatrical release. While The Matrix is defined by many great scenes, one scene from the second installment of the live-action trilogy was always controversial, but has only gotten worse through the years. The Matrix's characters are also among some of the franchise's best attributes, which further highlights why The Matrix Reloaded's...

Deus Ex Machina: The leader of all Machines, holding the power in the Matrix universe with a massive network. Armadas & Tow Bombs: Threatening floating Machines equipped with explosives make Neo and Trinity dodge danger. Caretakers & Docbots: Tiny machines monitoring humans in the Matrix, disconnecting upon waking up for a vital role.

The Machines are the overarching group of antagonists in The Matrix franchise, and here are all 11 types of machines that appear in the movies, explained. The world of The Matrix is absolutely massive, with every corner of the film franchise being packed full of lore, hidden details, and things that can be expanded on. Due to the majority of The Matrix saga taking place within the Matrix, the Machines aren't seen all that much, with Neo and the gang more regularly facing off against Programs. However, these 11 Machines have been confirmed to exist in The Matrix universe.

Lots...

The Wachowskis' 1999 cyber-thriller "The Matrix" took the world by surprise. Although cyber-thrillers and V.R.-inflected sci-fi films were de rigueur throughout the '90s, the Wachowskis' unique blend of black-trench coat cool, overloaded action, and trippy pop existentialism shook the zeitgeist in unprecedented ways. The premise was powerful: in the distant future, humanity will be enslaved by intelligent machines and bodily stuffed into goopy cocoons. The electrical impulses in human brains are used by the Machines as a power supply, and every human being has a needle plugged into their skulls. In order to keep those impulses pulsing, the Machines have created an elaborate virtual reality for its living batteries, an electric realm called the Matrix. The Matrix is what you or I might call "the real world." 

The notion that our perceived lives are merely an illusion is quite ancient, and even the sci-fi spin on that philosophy...

The Matrix franchise should pivot to an Animatrix project to revive itself, as the 2003 animated anthology film was a critical hit and explored untapped stories within the Matrix universe. An anthology format allows for new stories and characters to be explored, avoiding the repetition of Neo and Trinity's story, which has been extensively covered in the previous movies. The potential for a new Animatrix project is vast, with opportunities to explore different cycles of the Matrix, the formation of Io, the return of the Machines, and retelling past events such as Morpheus' death, offering a fresh and exciting direction for the franchise.

The Matrix franchise is in a state of flux, but one project is the perfect way to bring the franchise back - and it's not The Matrix 5. News regarding any new projects in The Matrix franchise has been silent for a while, with many fans of the series...

The best stories in blockbuster franchises often happen outside of movies, in mediums like books, comics, and television series. Animated television series like The Animatrix and Star Wars: The Clone Wars have expanded on the lore and history of their respective franchises in exciting and meaningful ways. Despite the success of series like Harry Potter and Batman, the best stories in these franchises are found in the original books and comics, providing more depth and character development.

There are some franchises that, despite being major blockbuster box office successes, have even better stories occurring outside the movies. Plenty of blockbuster franchises also have firmly established releases in the world of books, comics, and television that expand the characters and lore seen in their films. Due to the limited run time of movies, other mediums often work better to further develop characters' backstories, tell interesting side stories, or shed new light...

Many minor characters in The Matrix franchise deserve more development and screentime. Characters like Cypher, Tank, The Merovingian, and The Twins have potential for spinoffs and side projects. The Matrix Resurrections introduced new characters like Bugs and the Morpheus Program, but their stories feel unfinished.

The Matrix franchise is full of iconic characters like Neo, Trinity, Agent Smith, and Morpheus, but we wish we could've seen a lot more of these 10 minor The Matrix characters. The vast world of The Matrix is absolutely massive, with the franchise's five movies populating the universe with all kinds of immensely interesting characters. However, due to the limited runtime of The Matrix series, many of these interesting characters only have a few minutes of screentime. So, here are 10 The Matrix characters that seriously deserved a lot more development, with them potentially being able to carry their own spinoffs and side projects.

The Matrix is...

A cosplayer has recreated Neo's iconic stunts from The Matrix in a new video. The video features the cosplayer ducking and jumping over a barricade, balancing inside a spinning ring, and running on a stairwell wall. The Matrix-inspired stunts display the cosplayer's dedication and skill in imitating the character.

The Matrix's Neo has been brought to life in a new stunt video. Neo is the character played by Keanu Reeves in the 1999 smash science fiction hit The Matrix and its sequels. The original movie followed Neo discovering that he is The One, a figure of prophecy who is meant to tap into the power of and eventually destroy The Matrix, a computer simulation in which humanity is trapped while being used as batteries for machines in a dystopian future of which they are unaware.

A video from STUDENTbible has showcased a cosplayer who has transformed himself into Neo from the Matrix movies.

The Kid, a minor character in The Matrix franchise, has a cool backstory that is revealed in The Animatrix. With his real name revealed as Michael Karl Popper, the Kid starts having dreams about his death and seeks answers from Neo. The Kid's belief in the illusion of reality allows him to escape the Matrix, making him one of the strongest minds in the saga.

The character known as the Kid in The Matrix franchise has long been one of the least favorite among audiences, but he surprisingly has a very cool backstory. While the first installment of the franchise focuses on the Nebuchadnezzar's crew, The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions expand the universe, introducing Zion, and many other ships and secondary characters, such as Niobe, Lock, or Captain Mifune. Among those additions, the Kid, a minor character who ends up being quite relevant to the plot at the end of the third movie,...

Supervising sound editor and designer Dane A. Davis — who won an Oscar for 1999’s The Matrix — will receive Motion Picture Sound Editors’ Career Achievement Award during the org’s 71st annual Golden Reel Awards, which will be held March 3 at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles.

“With his work on The Matrix, Dane Davis set a new standard for how to use sound to create worlds, add impact to stories, and arouse the emotions of the audience,” said Mpse president Mark Lanza. “Since then, he has continued to innovate across features, animation, television, and other mediums. We are excited to recognize his unique accomplishments with our annual Career Achievement Award.”

Davis has been a sound editor and designer for four decades. His roughly 180 film, TV and game credits include the Wachowski sisters’ Matrix series, as well as Speed Racer, Sense8, Bound, and Jupiter Ascending. Additional credits include Allen v Farrow,...

The Motion Picture Sound Editors said today that Supervising Sound Editor/Sound Designer Dane A. Davis will receive its 2024 Career Achievement Award during its 71st annual Golden Reel Awards in March.

Davis is known for his Oscar winning work on The Matrix, and for his creative contributions to that film’s sequels and scores of other films and television shows.

“With his work on The Matrix, Dane Davis set a new standard for how to use sound to create worlds, add impact to stories, and arouse the emotions of the audience,” said Mpse President Mark Lanza. “Since then, he has continued to innovate across features, animation, television, and other mediums. We are excited to recognize his unique accomplishments with our annual Career Achievement Award.”

Davis has been a sound designer and sound editor for more than 40 years with over 180 film, television, and game credits. Along with his Oscar for The Matrix,...

The Matrix sequels have been disappointing compared to the original, although each film has memorable action sequences or added intriguing elements to the mythology. Animated spinoff The Animatrix has a higher Rotten Tomatoes score than The Matrix, with 89% compared to the original's 83%. The Animatrix expands the franchise's world and explores new concepts, making it a potential blueprint for the franchise's future.

The Matrix movie with the highest Rotten Tomatoes score somehow isn't the 1999 original. It's almost easy to forget what an epoch-defining moment the original Matrix was when it hit theaters in 1999. The movie's mix of action, cyberpunk and philosophy blew the collective minds of audiences and critics, and while some elements have aged badly, it's still a classic. Unfortunately, the same can't be said of the subsequent Matrix movie franchise, with each of the three sequels proving disappointing in different ways.

Anticipation for Reloaded and Revolutions was sky high...

It's been nearly forty years, but people still remember "The A-Team." The action adventure series went on for five seasons, but stuck around in the public consciousness for much, much longer. People still remember the theme song, the cartoonish violence, the catchphrases. But although many viewers throughout the 2000s wanted a revival of the show, the TV series itself never came back.

Instead, we got a feature film in 2010 starring an updated A-Team, with the characters being veterans of the Iraq War instead of veterans of Vietnam. The film underperformed at the box office, however, and they never made a sequel. Unlike "21 Jump Street," a franchise where the later movies have now long-since overshadowed the TV show for most younger viewers, when people of all ages today think of "The A-Team," they're still almost certainly thinking of the show.

So what have the cast members been up to since...

Spinoffs are a tough feat to pull off, and they're even harder when the main show is still going on. For the first five episodes or so, "Gen V" took the smart approach of basing its main storyline around a fairly low-level, self-contained conspiracy. The characters weren't interacting with anyone like Butcher or Homelander; they were simply trying to figure out what sort of crazy stuff was going on at their school, located in their own little corner of this crazy world. 

But the latest episode, "Jumanji," flips that around a bit. It reveals that Dean Indira Shetty (Shelley Conn) is working on a contagious virus that can de-power any Supe, and also maybe kill them in the process. Although her methods to achieve this goal haven't affected anyone on "The Boys" just yet, it's easy to see how the results from Shetty's virus can bleed into the flagship show.

The Matrix franchise became oversaturated in 2003 with the release of two sequels, a video game, and animated films, causing a decline in quality and critical reception. The sequels, The Matrix: Reloaded and The Matrix: Revolutions, failed to live up to the original film, receiving criticism for excessive action and a lack of depth. Despite the negative impact of the Year of the Matrix, the franchise's expanded universe, including games and comics, helped maintain its legacy and influenced other franchises, keeping The Matrix alive into the 2020s.

Although The Matrix is still considered a staple in cinema history, it is also true that the year that The Matrix was the most popular, 2003, was also the year that the franchise became doomed. In 1999, the sci-fi action movie The Matrix was released to incredible acclaim. Many considered it the best sci-fi movie of all time, and praised it for its action sequences and outstanding special effects.

The Matrix Resurrections was a box office disaster, but the Matrix franchise is likely to continue in some form due to its previous success and potential for future adaptations. The Animatrix, an anthology of animated shorts, offers the best storytelling and expansion of the Matrix lore outside the original movie. The Matrix 5 should consider adapting The Animatrix into a live-action film prequel to avoid the issues of the most recent sequel and explore new characters and narratives.

The Matrix Resurrections was a box office disaster, but there's still a way to successfully develop The Matrix 5. The original Matrix movie presented an audacious fusion of mind-bending philosophy, revolutionary visual effects, and a unique blend of martial arts and Hollywood action. The narrative challenged perceptions of reality: in a future where humanity is trapped inside a simulation created by sentient machines, Neo sets out to free the human race. This ambitious blend...

The Matrix sequels made retcons that undermined the established storyline of the original film. For example, the sequels changed the prophecy of The One, suggesting it was designed to lead Neo to the Architect, and revealed that the Oracle's prophecy was a tool used by the machines. Another example is how The Matrix Reloaded retconned the true role of the Oracle and her guidance, dismantling her early explanations about choice, humanity, and love, and revealing that the true purpose of the Matrix was to subjugate humanity.

The Matrix movies made many changes to its own story throughout its various incarnations, but some retcons may have damaged the franchise somewhat. Of course, some changes to an overarching storyline are inevitable, particularly considering The Matrix was a surprise success in many ways, and therefore not intended to retain such longevity. While in many cases, these expanded and built upon the original story,...

With their ambitious sophomore effort, the Wachowskis wrote a new chapter in cinema history. Famously combining science-fiction, martial arts, anime sensibilities, groundbreaking visual effects, and thematically dense storytelling, The Matrix is one of the ultimate genre-blending exercises ever committed to celluloid. And while its three sequels struggled to compare in terms of quality and originality, 2003's animated anthology, The Animatrix, features some of the greatest storytelling and visuals to emerge from the franchise. Released concurrently with The Matrix Reloaded, this varied collection of shorts greatly contextualizes and builds upon the world established by the 1999 film, taking viewers deeper into humanity's war with the machines than any iteration before or after.

As many a trailer and tagline will claim, every story has a beginning, and this includes some of the best anime prequels. Because a prequel is a foregone conclusion, it has a somewhat more difficult task than a sequel in catching viewers’ interest. However, this can also be used to the story’s benefit: watching an impending disaster loom or knowing that hope is there in the future are equally compelling concepts.

Most often, a prequel will tell an original story focusing on a wide cast of characters, exploring the world of the show and adding details not present in the main story. Another direction it can take is doing a deep dive into the backstory of just one character, usually a fan favorite. Either way, prequels remain a popular part of anime and all media.

High Speed! Free! Starting Days (2015)

Free! is quintessential summer viewing, chronicling the journeys of...

In July 2023, fans were treated to the explosive news that a new anime called Lazarus would be coming out by Cowboy Bebop director Shinichiro Watanabe, who, during San Diego Comic-Con, shared some behind-the-scenes information, including the surprising way Cowboy Bebop, John Wick, and the new series Lazarus are all related.

Lazarus is already slated to become next year's biggest series. With so many iconic names and companies working on the project, anticipation for the title has gone through the roof. Shortly after the first trailer for Lazarus was released, giving fans a peek at the quality they can expect, some of the minds behind the series attended a special Toonami panel at San Diego Comic Con. For the first time, Shinichiro Watanabe revealed the character profiles and spoke about his experience creating the series, as well as revealed a surprising fact about a connection between his works and his fellow...

Movie franchises that got worse with every sequel highlight the argument for leaving great standalone films alone. Not all sequels in these franchises are terrible, but they never exceeded the impact of the first film. Box office success doesn't always equal quality, as franchises like Jurassic Park and Pirates of the Caribbean demonstrate.

Movie franchises that got worse with every sequel make a strong argument for why great standalone films should be left alone. Undoubtedly, there are some cases where the studio or director clearly should've stopped with one movie, instead of milking the concept beyond its potential. On the other hand, this isn't to say that all the sequels to such franchises are terrible films - only that they never exceeded what the first movie in the franchise achieved.

Indeed, there are many franchises that were ruined by pointless sequels. However, there are also sequels that failed to outperform...

If you’re a fan of Mel Gibson’s classic action flicks, be sure to stream them before they leave Max at the end of August.

All four “Lethal Weapon” movies and “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome,” starring the late, great Tina Turner, will be leaving the streaming service. Luckily, you’ll have all month to watch them.

Watching the new “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem” animated movie in theaters? Max has several films featuring the radical reptilians: the live-action “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze” (1991)

and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III” (1993), as well as the animated “Tmnt” (2007).

Kaiju fans will want to check out “Godzilla” (2014), “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” (2019), “King Kong” (1933) and “Journey 2: The Mysterious Island” (2012).

Finally, if horror is your thing, six “Hellraiser” films and “The Ring Two” make great summer scares.

Here’s everything leaving Max in August 2023

August 5

Hard Knocks:...

The Matrix is remembered for a lot of things: the influential technical aspects like the use of bullet time and 1990s CGI that managed to not look terrible; the imaginative world-building that was richly expanded in The Animatrix and greatly confused with the film’s actual sequels; and, of course, a bunch of people doing bad Keanu Reeves impressions saying, “I know kung fu.” But one thing people often forget to acknowledge about The Matrix is that it’s just a damn well-made movie. This fact can be attributed in part to the film’s use of transitions, which allow a glut of complex visuals and lore to be translated into a smooth and tightly constructed story.

In a new video essay, Patrick Willems examines the Wachowskis’ use of transitions over the course of The Matrix’s three acts, highlighting exactly why they’re so effective. For example, the entire...

“The Matrix” franchise has been through a lot. It saw a major studio take a chance on two rising filmmakers — Lana Wachowski and Lilly Wachowski — to make an ambitious sci-fi movie, and they were rewarded with a global box office phenomenon. Two bloated, pretty terrible sequels followed, “The Matrix Reloaded” and “The Matrix Revolutions,” not to mention an anime-inspired anthology, “The Animatrix,” which kept the brand going, along with video games too, but these followups didn’t have the same innovation as the first film.

Continue reading Warner Bros. Takes The Red Pill, Reboots ‘The Matrix’ at The Playlist.

Twenty-five years ago Thursday, Rugrats, Doug and The Ren & Stimpy Show premiered on Nickelodeon. It's hard to believe, but just seven years prior, the network was a huge failure, operating at a $10 million loss in 1984. By 1985, they'd launched Nick at Nite; in 1988, the Kids' Choice Awards and Nick Jr.

So when the network opened Nickelodeon Studios within Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida, all eyes were on them. And it didn't disappointment, launching three soon-to-be iconic original animated series – Rugrats, Doug and Ren & Stimpy – all on the same day: Aug. 11, 1991. Since the cruel passage of time is all that unites us these days,...

Twenty-five years ago Thursday, Rugrats, Doug and The Ren & Stimpy Show premiered on Nickelodeon. It's hard to believe, but just seven years prior, the network was a huge failure, operating at a $10 million loss in 1984. By 1985, they'd launched Nick at Nite; in 1988, the Kids' Choice Awards and Nick Jr. So when the network opened Nickelodeon Studios within Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida, all eyes were on them. And it didn't disappointment, launching three soon-to-be iconic original animated series - Rugrats, Doug and Ren & Stimpy - all on the same day: Aug. 11, 1991. Since the cruel passage of time is all that unites us these days,...

Twenty-five years ago Thursday, Rugrats, Doug and The Ren & Stimpy Show premiered on Nickelodeon. It's hard to believe, but just seven years prior, the network was a huge failure, operating at a $10 million loss in 1984. By 1985, they'd launched Nick at Nite; in 1988, the Kids' Choice Awards and Nick Jr. So when the network opened Nickelodeon Studios within Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida, all eyes were on them. And it didn't disappointment, launching three soon-to-be iconic original animated series - Rugrats, Doug and Ren & Stimpy - all on the same day: Aug. 11, 1991. Since the cruel passage of time is all that unites us these days,...

Opening in theaters on Friday, March 13th is Run All Night. The action thriller stars Oscar nominees Liam Neeson and Ed Harris and is directed of Jaume Collet-Serra (Non-stop).

Brooklyn mobster and prolific hit man Jimmy Conlon (Neeson), once known as The Gravedigger, has seen better days. Longtime best friend of mob boss Shawn Maguire (Harris), Jimmy, now 55, is haunted by the sins of his past—as well as a dogged police detective (Vincent D’Onofrio) who’s been one step behind Jimmy for 30 years. Lately, it seems Jimmy’s only solace can be found at the bottom of a whiskey glass.

But when Jimmy’s estranged son, Mike (Joel Kinnaman), becomes a target, Jimmy must make a choice between the crime family he chose and the real family he abandoned long ago. With Mike on the run, Jimmy’s only penance for his past mistakes may be to keep...

A weird truth: Even in the midst of the current comic book gold-rush, major studios can't seem to get a good anime or manga adaptation off the ground—although the influence of those works can be seen everywhere. This weekend's Big Hero 6 is based on a Marvel comic that's heavily (perhaps even problematically) inspired by anime and manga. As tangentially connected to the art form as Big Hero 6 is, could it be the harbinger of a sea change in Hollywood's approach to manga and anime? Tackling this question can be kind of tricky—after all, "anime" and "manga...

Mark looks back at the much-reviled Matrix sequels and asks: what went wrong?

Feature

This article contains spoilers for the Matrix trilogy.

It seem like a long time ago to some of our younger readers, but those who were there will remember that 2003 was branded “the year of the Matrix” by Warner Bros. Four years after the first film knocked everybody's socks off, Andy and Lana Wachowski made two sequels, an animated anthology, a video game and numerous other tie-ins to expand upon a world that was only hinted at in the original.

The Matrix Reloaded became the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time when it was released in May and held that record until the following Easter's The Passion Of The Christ. A vitriolic critical reception and bad word of mouth undercut any chance that the final instalment, The Matrix Revolutions, had in terms of topping its predecessor when...

The Matrix changed everything. The monster hit of 1999, it went into the annals of movie legend and never released its talon-like grip on the pop-cultural zeitgeist. Everybody was talking about this film. It wasn’t just the groundbreaking set pieces and fighting that had audiences flocking in droves, however. This was an action movie that dared to be smart, thoughtful even, laying out the carpet for a new generation of hyper-charged blockbusters that challenged the audience’s intellect as much as its senses. As much as The Matrix played on the tropes of the genre, it had ideas above its station, majoring in philosophy and Lynchian nightmares. It presented fantastical and spiritual mythos as a backdrop to breathless viscera. Bullet-dodging nailed down the viewer long enough to ask some truly troubling questions.

This was the key to its success. Although they took their time to concoct a series of pulsating...

Andy and Lana Wachowski are reportedly developing a brand new sequel trilogy to "The Matrix" at Warner Bros. Pictures according to Latino Review.

The filmmakers have reportedly already turned in outlines and treatments to the studio who wants the first movie ready by 2017.

It isn't clear what direction the new trilogy will take, though an early outline suggests it will be a prequel exploring how The Matrix was first created. Previous tie-in material such as "The Animatrix" will Not have any impact on the new film's story.

It's unknown if any of the original trilogy's cast will return, it also isn't known if the Wachowskis will actually direct, but it seems likely.

Nothing has been confirmed by Warner Bros. Pictures at this time. Indeed, three years ago came talk of a revival of "The Matrix" franchise with dual films - a report which never panned out. Will this one hold true?...

Ah, it has been awhile since we had a good rumor that did not involve Star Wars: Episode VII or Batman vs. Superman casting. This one instead revives another famed trilogy, one from the olden days of the late 90s. With the Wachowski siblings back in the spotlight because of Jupiter Ascending, it was only a matter of time before the inevitable question arose: are we going to get a new trilogy set in The Matrix universe? Well? Are we?

The answer is a resounding maybe. Rumor has it that the Wachowskis are prepping a prequel trilogy to their hit series of films that proposed the world was just a simulation and we were all just slaves of the machines. It has been eleven years since the final instalment, The Matrix Revolutions, premiered back in 2003, so it’s unsurprising that we’re talking about the possibility of a new series.

Andy Wachowski and Lana Wachowski are reportedly developing a brand new sequel trilogy for The Matrix, with Warner Bros. eyeing a 2017 release for the first movie.

The filmmakers are rumored to have already turned in outlines and treatments to the studio, which is desperate for a big blockbuster franchise. Warner Bros. reportedly wants the first movie ready by 2017 so it can compete against the highly-anticipated sequels Star Wars: Episode VIII and Avatar 3, which are slated for release that year.

While it isn't clear which way the filmmakers plan on taking this new trilogy, one of the early outlines reportedly explores how The Matrix was first created. It's too early to tell if this is the route they plan on taking since the story is still very fluid. It also isn't clear if Keanu Reeves will be back as Neo, or if any of the other cast members will be back.

For those of you who aren't hip to the anime scene, Koji Morimoto is the director behind Akira  and The Animatrix. Recently, he was commissioned by Lexus to do a conceptual short featuring one of their vehicles. Their final product? Kids driving a car through a bizarre future in which they get devoured by a panda, almost kidnapped, and peed on by a giant tree. That last part is only half true, but you'll know the scene I'm talking about when you see it. My one question after viewing this is how exactly does this convince anyone to buy a car?! For better or worse, this is "A  Better Tomorrow."

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Amazon's Gold Box Deal of the Day is The Ultimate Matrix Collection on Blu-ray for $24.49 (which is 62% off). Like all Gold Box Deals, it's only good for today. Remember, if you spend over $25 you get free shipping. For what's included in the box set, hit the jump. I own this set and it's loaded with awesome extras and special features. This definitive seven-disc Blu-ray set features all three films in "The Matrix" trilogy, as well as the companion piece "The Matrix Revisited" and the best-selling "The Animatrix", plus five entirely new Blu-ray discs packed solid with brand-new supplemental materials that encompass every aspect of the Matrix universe, including two new audio commentaries on each film, "Enter the Matrix" video game footage, 106 deep-delving featurettes and much more. Written Introduction by the Wachowski Brothers Commentaries by: - Philosophers: Dr. Cornel West and Ken Wilber - Critics: Todd McCarthy, John Powers and David Thomson...

The racing movie has been a staple of Hollywood filmmaking for years. From classics such as Le Mans to the modern-day Fast & Furious franchise, there have always been racing movies and there have always been racing movie fans… The latest entry into the racing film genre is Death Race 3: Inferno, which continues the fight to the death Car-nage that the series is famous for. In honour of that films release of, we decided to take a look at the Top 10 Best Racing Films.

10) Initial D: Drift Racer

18-year-old Takumi (Jay Chou) delivers tofu for his hard-drinking dad, and works part time at his best friend’s garage. When he is unexpectedly asked to drive in an upcoming race, Takumi’s shock victory opens up a whole new world of possibilities, and his overnight fame is soon leading him to even more hellraising and dangerous races. But as Takumi pushes...

We have 10 new gaming titles to check out this week, including Dlc for all the Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning and Total War: Shogun 2 fans out there.

First, from Capcom, we have Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City, bridging the gap between Resident Evil 2 and 3. This Re game focuses on team-survival play. Gamers can play with up to three other players online against endless zombies; the action is fast and frantic.

From Namco, we have Armored Core V, the latest Armored Core game, which also steps into the growing trend of online team-play.

Ninja Gaiden 3 should excite several fans, especially those dating back to the Nes days. In the latest Hayabusa adventure, his deadly sword takes a dangerous tole on Ryu’s body and mind.

The 3Ds gets its first major first-party release of 2012 with Kid Icarus: Uprising; game utilizes hybrid on-rails action.

Finally on Xbla, we have Sine Mora, a...

[1] Today's Amazon Gold Box Deal of the Day is The Ultimate Matrix Collection Blu-Ray for $25.49 [2] ($65 msrp). The Gold Box Deal of the Day is only good for 24 hours and will disappear at midnight. So act fast. This seven-disc collection contains the complete Matrix Trilogy in high definition video and lossless high definition 5.1 audio (Dolby TrueHD) — each with hours of special features including Whv's ground-breaking In-Movie Experience. The Animatrix, the nine-part anime film, three additional bonus discs include more than 35 hours of additional features and a digital copy of The Matrix. Full list of special features after the jump. Also, they have a one day only deal on It's A Wonderful Life, selling the Blu-ray for only $13.99 [3] ($30 msrp) and the two disc collector's DVD set for only $8.99 [4] ($20 msrp). Disc #1 - The Matrix (1999) In-Movie Experience Written introduction by the Wachowski brothers Philosophers commentary by Dr. Cornel West, Ken Wilber Critics commentary by Todd McCarthy,...

Sony have announced the UK Blu-ray release of two new anime movies, both of which are set to debut on Boxing Day. First Squad, from acclaimed animation studio Studio 4°C, creators of the thrilling The Animatrix and Halo: Legends, tells the story of a 14-year-old girl with psychic powers who must travel to another world to bring back her team and stop a 700-year-old ghost from leading the Nazis to victory in World War II; and Legend of the Millenium Dragon (aka Onigamiden), from Studio Pierrot, creators of the classic Naruto and Bleach films, which sees a teenage boy travels 1,200 years back in time into an epic and ancient battle.

Yoshiharu Ashino’s dramatic debut feature Fâsuto Sukuwaddo (in Japanese) tells the compelling and dramatic story of Nadya, a 14-year-old girl who despite her tender years is the last hope for her team and country. Gifted animator Ashino (The Tigger Movie,...

Well it’s the start of another week, so you know what that means – yet more DVD and Blu-ray releases hit the high street, ready and waiting to swallow up all your hard-earned cash! So here’s the rundown of what’s available to buy from today, November 14th 2011.

Pick Of The Week

Franklin & Bash: Season 1 (DVD)

When Peter Bash (Mark-Paul Gosselaar) and Jared Franklin (Breckin Meyer), two young attorneys with a no-holds-barred courtroom style, are hired by Stanton Infeld (Malcolm McDowell), life at his buttoned-down law firm will never be the same. Working with their equally oddball staff – researcher Pindar Singh (Kumail Nanjiani) and paralegal Carmen Phillips (Dana Davis) – Franklin and Bash shake things up at the firm with their audacious tactics and immediately find an enemy in its star lawyer, Infeld’s nephew Damien Karp (Reed Diamond). While the sexual tension between Jared and senior partner Hanna Linden...

Redline

Directed by Takeshi Koike

2010, Japan, 102 minutes

Lots of people are saying that anime hit Redline is like taking acid. Frankly, that doesn’t quite do the film justice. Let’s do better. If Speed Racer and Heavy Metal had a child, but the child was exposed to a lot of drugs in utero, was born during a Gwar concert, only ate magic mushrooms, suffered a nerdy, angst-ridden youth, then contracted malaria, and suffered a dream infected with delirium, that dream would be Redline. Watching Redline made me feel party to a war crime. I’m pretty sure that I left the theatre on some kind of government list. I loved every minute of it.

In a nutshell: taking place in a galaxy of bizarre creatures, cyborgs, and magic, racing is the most important thing. Racer Sweet Jp (Takuya Kimura), a long shot with mob connections, wins a spot in the galaxy’s biggest race,...

Amazon's Gold Box Deal of the Day is The Ultimate Matrix Collection on Blu-ray for $26.99 (which is 58% off).  Like all Gold Box Deals, it's only good for today.  Remember, if you spend over $25 you get free shipping.  For what's included in the box set, hit the jump.  I own this set and it's loaded with extras and special features. This definitive seven-disc Blu-ray set features all three films in "The Matrix" trilogy, as well as the companion piece "The Matrix Revisited" and the best-selling "The Animatrix", plus five entirely new Blu-ray discs packed solid with brand-new supplemental materials that encompass every aspect of the Matrix universe, including two new audio commentaries on each film, "Enter the Matrix" video game footage, 106 deep-delving featurettes and much more. Written Introduction by the Wachowski Brothers Commentaries by: - Philosophers: Dr. Cornel West and Ken Wilber - Critics: Todd McCarthy, John Powers and David Thomson - Cast/Crew: Carrie-Anne Moss,...

[1] Today's Amazon Gold Box Deal of the Day is The Ultimate Matrix Collection Blu-Ray for $26.99 [2], 58% off the $65 msrp. The Gold Box Deal of the Day is only good for 24 hours and will disappear at midnight. So act fast. This seven-disc collection contains the complete Matrix Trilogy in high definition video and lossless high definition 5.1 audio (Dolby TrueHD) — each with hours of special features including Whv's ground-breaking In-Movie Experience. The Animatrix, the nine-part anime film, three additional bonus discs include more than 35 hours of additional features and a digital copy of The Matrix. Full list of special features after the jump. Disc #1 - The Matrix (1999) In-Movie Experience Written introduction by the Wachowski brothers Philosophers commentary by Dr. Cornel West, Ken Wilber Critics commentary by Todd McCarthy, John Powers, David Thomson Cast and crew commentary by Carrie-Anne Moss, Zach Staenberg and John Gaeta Composer commentary by Don Davis with music-only track The Matrix Revisited...