10 Facts About The Matrix Trilogy That You Won't Be Able To Dodge In Slow Motion

The first Matrix movie was released in 1999 on a fairly low budget, and it still stunned the world. The trilogy is still referred to as one of the greatest science fiction series ever made. The Wachowski siblings released both sequels, The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, in 2003.

The Matrix won four Academy Awards and the franchise has generated $3 billion in revenue, making it one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time.

Here are 10 facts about the Matrix trilogy, but you can only proceed to read this article if you choose to take an imaginary red pill.

1. All the movie actors had to be able to explain the Matrix.

The Wachowski siblings wanted the actors to be able to explain the philosophical thought behind the script, so they had to read Simulacra and Simulation by Jean Baudrillard, Out of Control by Kevin Kelly, and Introducing Evolutionary Psychology by Dylan Evans.

2. There was a Bruce Lee reference that only made sense to hardcore Kung Fu fans.

During the fight scene between Neo and Morpheus, Neo thumbs his nose. It wasn't even part of the script, but they kept it in because anything Bruce Lee is awesome.

3. The Matrix and the real world is colored differently.

Did you notice that all the scenes that take place inside the Matrix are tinted green, while the real world just looks normal?

Did you also notice that the fight scene between Morpheus and Neo is tinted yellow? That's because it's not in the real world or the world of the Matrix.

4. The highway chase in Reloaded took three months to shoot.

Three months is longer than the entire shooting schedule for many films! Also, the 1.4 mile, three lane loop highway was built for that scene, and later destroyed when filming was complete. ALSO, GM donated 300 cars to be used in this scene and every single one was wrecked.

5. The events of the movie take place over exactly 19 months.

In the opening sequence, the date stamp on the phone trace program reads "2/18/98" and in the closing sequence it reads "9/18/99."

6. The names in the movie are not random; in fact, they are thoughtfully selected.

When Neo was still part of the Matrix, he worked for the company MetaCortex, which means  "transcending the boundaries of the brain." Isn't that exactly what Neo does?

7. This one is mind-blowing.

In the last scene of The Matrix Revolutions, the bench the Oracle sits on reads "In Memory of Thomas Anderson."

8. Room 101 Is a George Orwell Reference.

The number 101 signifies a place where an item can never be found again. In 1984 it's basically the torture room, where a prisoner is subject to his or her greatest fears.  

9. Will Smith was almost casted to play Neo.

Thank everything that's good in this world that Will Smith turned down the offer to star in another movie. Most people can agree that Keanu Reeves was the perfect actor to play this role.

10. Who is "The One"?

This is not so much a fact but a question to inspire you to think about the trilogy as a whole. Some believe Agent Smith was "The One," what do you think?

What's your favorite scene from the trilogy? Let us know!