A media franchise , also known as a multimedia franchise , is a collection of related media in which several derivative works have been produced from an original creative work of fiction, such as a film , a work of literature , a television program , or a video game . Bob Iger , chief executive of the Walt Disney Company , defined the word franchise as "something that creates value across multiple businesses and across multiple territories over a long period of time.”
78-497: Hanna-Barbera media franchise Wacky Races is a media franchise containing five animated series , several video games , and a comic book , with most centered on the theme of various Hanna-Barbera cartoon characters primarily engaged in auto racing (although occasionally employing other means of transportation), usually in odd vehicles and with absurd plot developments. Television [ edit ] Wacky Races (1968 TV series) ,
156-463: A simulated reality called The Matrix. The virtual reality world simulated by the Matrix resembles human civilization around the turn of the 21st century (this time period was chosen because it is supposedly the pinnacle of human civilization). The environment inside the Matrix is practically indistinguishable from reality (although scenes set within the Matrix are presented on-screen with a green tint to
234-447: A summary judgement for the defendants , Judge R. Gary Klausner stated "The basic premises of The Matrix Trilogy and The Immortals are so different that it would be unreasonable to find their plots substantially similar." What we were trying to achieve with the story overall was a shift, the same kind of shift that happens for Neo, that Neo goes from being in this sort of cocooned and programmed world, to having to participate in
312-571: A 10-disc set of the films on DVD. It included the trilogy of films, The Animatrix , and six discs of additional material, including the documentary film The Matrix Revisited , the live-action footage shot for Enter the Matrix , and a promotional compilation of The Matrix Online . For this release, The Matrix was remastered under the supervision of the Wachowskis and the trilogy's cinematographer , Bill Pope , to improve its picture quality and make its color timing closer to that of its sequels. At
390-478: A 2006 animated short, produced by Warner Bros. Animation Wacky Raceland , a comic book series envisioning the original racers in a more comic-book realistic style Wacky Races: The Board Game, 2019, by CMON , Inc. v t e Warner Bros. Discovery franchises and series Warner Bros. Entertainment Warner Bros. Pictures Ace Ventura Beetlejuice Cats & Dogs Charlie and
468-600: A character or fictional world becoming popular in one medium, and then expanding to others through licensing agreements , with respect to intellectual property in the franchise's characters and settings. As one author explains, "For the studios, a home-run is a film from which a multimedia 'franchise' can be generated; the colossally expensive creation of cross-media conglomerates predicated on synergistic rewards provides an obvious imperative to develop such products." The trend later developed wherein franchises would be launched in multiple forms of media simultaneously; for instance,
546-485: A franchise can even be created, which ultimately leads to the creation of brand worlds. Since the creation of Disneyland in 1955, bringing fictional media franchises to life through the theme parks slowly became increasingly popular as the way to perfectly blend tourism and real-life involvement with media itself. Similar to transmedia, the concept of bringing fictional media into a non-fictional space where fans can immerse themselves in real-life versions of elements from
624-424: A modeling agency, several television shows ( Playboy's Penthouse , in 1959), and even its own television channel . Twenty-five years later, Playboy released private clubs and restaurants, movie theaters, a radio show , direct to video films, music and book publishing (including original works in addition to its anthologies of cartoons, photographs, recipes, advice, articles or fiction that had originally appeared in
702-520: A new status quo is established in the Matrix's place in humankind and machines' conflict. This was further explored in The Matrix Online , a now-defunct MMORPG . During production of the original trilogy, the Wachowskis told their close collaborators that, "at that time they had no intention of making another Matrix film after The Matrix Revolutions ". In February 2015, in promotion interviews for Jupiter Ascending , Lilly Wachowski called
780-421: A promotional item for The Matrix , but Warner Bros. recalled it due to its mature content. Most of them were later republished by the Wachowskis' Burlyman Entertainment , along with some new stories and updates with color to some of the existing ones, in two printed trade paperback volumes in 2003 and 2004 and a deluxe hardcover twentieth-anniversary edition in 2019. The Matrix official website provided
858-475: A reboot, remake , or continuation , remarking that he was working on stories set in the pre-established continuity . Potential plotlines being considered by Warner Bros. Pictures included a prequel film about a young Morpheus , or an alternate storyline with a focus on one of his descendants. By April 2018, Penn described the script as "being at a nascent stage". Later, in September 2019, Jordan addressed
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#1732844478768936-530: A return to The Matrix "a particularly repelling idea in these times", noting studios' tendencies to "greenlight" sequels, reboots , and adaptations, in preference to original material. Meanwhile, Lana Wachowski, in addressing rumors about a potential reboot, stated that "...they had not heard anything, but she believed that the studio might be looking to replace them". At various times, Keanu Reeves and Hugo Weaving each confirmed their interest and willingness to reprise their roles in potential future installments of
1014-512: Is a collection of nine animated short films intended to further flesh out the concepts, history, characters, and setting of the series. The objective of The Animatrix project was to give other writers and directors the opportunity to lend their voices and interpretation to the Matrix universe; the Wachowskis conceived of and oversaw the process, and they wrote four of the segments themselves, although they were given to other directors to execute. Many of
1092-415: Is a set of comics and short stories based on the series and written and illustrated by figures from the comics industry; one of the comics was written by the Wachowskis and illustrated by the films' concept artist Geof Darrow . The comics and stories were originally presented for free on the Matrix series' website between 1999 and 2003. One of them was printed in 1999 to be given away at theaters as
1170-436: Is currently in development with Drew Goddard set to write and direct with Lana Wachowski executive producing. The series depicts a future in which Earth is dominated by a race of self-aware machines that was spawned from the creation of artificial intelligence early in the 21st century. At one point conflict arose between humanity and machines, and the machines rebelled against their creators. Humans attempted to block out
1248-415: Is different from Wikidata Media franchise A media franchise often consists of cross-marketing across more than one medium. For the owners, the goal of increasing profit through diversity can extend the commercial profitability of the franchise and create strong feelings of identity and ownership in its consumers. Those large groups of dedicated consumers create the franchise's fandom , which
1326-478: Is often referred to by the simpler term "media franchise". The term media franchise is often used to describe the popular adaptation of a work into films, like the popular Twilight book series that was adapted into the five films of The Twilight Saga . Other neologisms exist to describe various franchise types including metaseries , which can be used to describe works such as Isaac Asimov 's Foundation series . Multimedia franchises usually develop through
1404-591: Is presented with a color grade that reportedly comes closer to its theatrical presentation than any of the previous home video releases. The set also includes standard Blu-ray copies of the films sourced from the new 4K master, but is missing The Animatrix and some special features. By August 2000, The Matrix DVD had sold over three million copies in United States, becoming the best-selling of all time. By November 2003, The Matrix franchise had generated $ 677 million from VHS and DVD sales, $ 162 million from
1482-479: Is the Japanese term for a transmedia franchise. The term media mix gained its circulation in late 1980s and is first used to describe adaptations of Sakyo Komatsu 's Japan Sinks , but the origins of the strategy can be traced back to the 1960s with the proliferation of anime , with its interconnection of media and commodity goods. Some of the earlier popular Japanese franchises such as Vampire Hunter D in
1560-466: Is the community of fans that indulge in many of its media and are committed to interacting with and keeping up with other consumers. Large franchise-based fandoms have grown to be even more popular in recent years with the rise of social media platforms, as many fans seek to interact with one another for discussion, debate and even to create their own fan-made pieces of media revolving around the franchise, on websites like tumblr , Reddit and Fandom . In
1638-486: The Matrix films, with the stipulation that the Wachowskis were involved in the creative and production process. These comments were made prior to the announcement in August 2019 that Lana Wachowski would direct a fourth Matrix film ultimately titled The Matrix Resurrections . Following the release of Resurrections , producer James McTeigue said that there were no plans for further Matrix films, though he believed that
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#17328444787681716-526: The National Film Registry for preservation. Its first sequel was also a commercial success, becoming the highest-grossing R-rated film in history, until it was surpassed by Deadpool in 2016. As of 2006, the franchise has generated US$ 3 billion in revenue. A fourth film, The Matrix Resurrections , was released on December 22, 2021, with Lana Wachowski producing, cowriting, and directing and Reeves and Moss reprising their roles. A fifth film
1794-483: The fantasy and science fiction genres. Similarly, fantasy, science fiction films and television shows are frequently adapted into animated television series , video games, or both. A media franchise does not have to include the same characters or theme, as the brand identity can be the franchise, like Square Enix 's Final Fantasy or the National Lampoon series , and can suffer from critical failures even if
1872-436: The video game Enter the Matrix (2003), $ 37 million from The Matrix Reloaded: The Album soundtrack sales, and $ 3.5 million from licensed merchandise sales. As of 2006, the franchise has grossed $ 3 billion from all sources worldwide. In acknowledgment of the strong influence of Japanese Anime on the Matrix series, The Animatrix was produced in 2003 to coincide with the release of The Matrix Reloaded . This
1950-584: The " White Rabbit ", the "Rabbit Hole" and mirrors, referring to Lewis Carroll 's novels Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865) and Through the Looking-Glass (1871). Matrixism is a new religious movement inspired by the trilogy. Adam Possamai , a sociologist of religion , describes these types of religions/spiritualities as hyper-real religions due to their eclectic mix of religion/spirituality with elements of popular culture and their connection to
2028-621: The 13th The Mask Middle-earth The Hobbit The Lord of the Rings Mortal Kombat Harold & Kumar A Nightmare on Elm Street Rush Hour Poison Ivy DC Studios Batman DC Extended Universe Aquaman Flash DC Universe Green Lantern Joker Justice League Superman Wonder Woman HBO & Warner Bros. Discovery Networks Home Box Office, Inc. Game of Thrones Sex and
2106-423: The 1980s and Pokémon in the late 1990s, acted as benchmarks in the country's transmedia dominance. The latter in particular began as a video game available on Nintendo 's Game Boy , and crossed through the media of television, film, news, and other non-media related realms, such trading cards, merchandise, and more. A number of Japanese media franchises have gained considerable global popularity, and are among
2184-658: The California case, and thereby breached the Contract. For example, [her lawyers] failed timely to respond to discovery requests or serve discovery requests on the California defendants, failed to depose key witnesses or develop admissible evidence, failed to deny requests for admission, and failed to respond timely to the California defendants’ motion for summary judgment." "Ms. Stewart did not appear for [the 2005] deposition, ultimately twice failing to appear for her deposition; and both times unknowingly, as her attorneys never advised her of
2262-1713: The Chocolate Factory A Cinderella Story A Christmas Story Clash of the Titans Deep Blue Sea Gremlins Dirty Harry Free Willy The Hangover Lethal Weapon The Lost Boys The Matrix Monsterverse National Lampoon's Vacation Ocean's Police Academy Pure Country The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Wizarding World Harry Potter Fantastic Beasts Warner Bros. Animation , Warner Bros. Pictures Animation and Hanna-Barbera Animaniacs DC Animated Universe DC Universe Animated Original Movies DC Animated Movie Universe DC Super Hero Girls The Flintstones Jonny Quest The Lego Movie Looney Tunes Scooby-Doo ThunderCats Tom and Jerry Wacky Races Yogi Bear & Friends Warner Bros. Television Arrowverse Babylon 5 Treasure Island The Vampire Diaries Universe V New Line Cinema Austin Powers Barbershop The Conjuring Universe Critters Final Destination Friday Friday
2340-940: The City Westworld The Cartoon Network, Inc. Adventure Time Ben 10 The Powerpuff Girls Rick and Morty The Vindicators Warner Bros. Games DC Lego Middle-Earth Rampage Rush Area 51 Scribblenauts NetherRealm Studios Injustice Mortal Kombat Portkey Games Harry Potter Rocksteady Studios Batman: Arkham Monolith Productions F.E.A.R. [REDACTED] Category Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wacky_Races&oldid=1243534182 " Categories : Hanna-Barbera franchises Wacky Races Hidden categories: Articles with short description Short description
2418-506: The Osiris " with the events of Reloaded , while the online video game The Matrix Online was a direct sequel to Revolutions . These were typically written, commissioned, or approved by the Wachowskis. The first film was an important critical and commercial success, winning four Academy Awards , introducing popular culture symbols such as the red pill and blue pill , and influencing action filmmaking . For those reasons, it has been added to
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2496-510: The Shell , noted that the anime's high-quality visuals were a strong source of inspiration for the Wachowskis. He also commented, "... cyberpunk films are very difficult to describe to a third person. I'd imagine that The Matrix is the kind of film that was very difficult to draw up a written proposal for to take to film studios." He stated that since Ghost in the Shell had gained recognition in America,
2574-413: The Wachowskis and produced by Joel Silver. The screenplay for the fourth film was written by Lana Wachowski, David Mitchell and Aleksandar Hemon , was directed by Lana Wachowski, and was produced by Grant Hill , James McTeigue , and Lana Wachowski. The franchise is owned by Warner Bros. , which distributed the films along with Village Roadshow Pictures . The latter, along with Silver Pictures , are
2652-471: The Wachowskis used it as a "promotional tool". Similarities to the 1985 anime film Megazone 23 have also been noticed, but the Wachowskis stated they have never seen it. Reviewers have commented on similarities between The Matrix and other late-1990s films such as Strange Days , Dark City , and The Truman Show . The Wachowskis stated Dark City had no influence on the franchise, but commented about it and The Truman Show that they thought it
2730-459: The case of successful transmedia franchises, each different medium should expand the target demographic and fandom, build the interest of the consumers and add to the overarching story and narrative of the franchise itself. A connection between the characters, settings, and other elements of the media franchise do still exist within the different media, regardless of the fact that they are being presented in sometimes completely different ways, such as
2808-530: The cave , René Descartes 's evil demon , Kant 's reflections on the Phenomenon versus the Ding an sich , Zhuangzi 's " Zhuangzi dreamed he was a butterfly ", Marxist social theory and the brain in a vat thought experiment. Many references to Jean Baudrillard 's 1981 treatise Simulacra and Simulation appear in the first film. Baudrillard himself considered this a misrepresentation, although Lana Wachowski claims
2886-1008: The classic TV series Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines , a spin-off featuring Dick Dastardly and Muttley The Perils of Penelope Pitstop , a spin-off featuring Penelope Pitstop and the Ant Hill Mob Fender Bender 500 , a spin-off featuring Dick Dastardly and Muttley Wacky Races (2017 TV series) , the sequel TV series Video games [ edit ] Wacky Races (1991 video game) , by Atlus for NES Wacky Races (2000 video game) , by Appaloosa for PlayStation, Windows and Game Boy Color Wacky Races/Wacky Races: Starring Dastardly and Muttley 2000/2001, by Infogrames for Dreamcast and PlayStation 2 Wacky Races: Mad Motors , 2007, by Coyote and Blast! for PlayStation 2 Wacky Races: Crash and Dash , 2008, by Eidos for Nintendo DS and Wii Other [ edit ] Wacky Races Forever ,
2964-435: The construction of meaning to his life. And we were like, "Well, can the audience go through the three movies and experience something similar to what the main character experiences?" So the first movie is sort of typical in its approach. The second movie is deconstructionist, and it assaults all of the things that you thought to be true in the first movie, and so people get very upset, and they're like "Stop attacking me!" in
3042-490: The context of the Wachowskis' transgender experiences. In this case, taking the red pill and living out of the Matrix symbolizes exploring one's own gender identity , starting the transition and coming out as transgender, as opposed to a continued life in the closet . In 2016, Lilly Wachowski acknowledged this analysis by calling it "a cool thing because it's an excellent reminder that art is never static". In 2004, Warner Home Video released The Ultimate Matrix Collection ,
3120-652: The day-in-the-life episodes of the many different Real Housewives series. Documentaries and docuseries are other highlights of the non-fiction branch of media franchises, such as the popular Planet Earth series, which serves as both a film and television transmedia franchise. The Matrix (franchise) The Matrix is an American cyberpunk media franchise consisting of four feature films, beginning with The Matrix (1999) and continuing with three sequels, The Matrix Reloaded , The Matrix Revolutions (both 2003), and The Matrix Resurrections (2021). The first three films were written and directed by
3198-419: The depositions." Stewart was awarded damages totaling $ 316,280.62. Despite the ruling, the case became the subject of "Internet legend", with many sources claiming Stewart had actually won the lawsuit. In 2013, Thomas Althouse filed suit in California federal court alleging that ideas for the sequels The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions came from a screenplay he wrote called The Immortals . In
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3276-487: The dilemma of choice vs. control , the brain in a vat thought experiment, messianism , and the concepts of interdependency and love . Influences include the principles of mythology , anime , and Hong Kong action films (particularly " heroic bloodshed " and martial arts movies). The film series is notable for its use of heavily choreographed action sequences and " bullet time " slow-motion effects, which revolutionized action films to come. The characters and setting of
3354-725: The fictional worlds they love, adds to the overall narrative the franchise creates through its other media. Marvel's Avenger's Campus park is one of the many franchise-based theme parks created in recent times, following the creation of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studio's Islands of Adventure and Star Wars' Galaxy's Edge at Disneyland and Disney World . Media franchises tend to cross over from their original media to other forms. Literary franchises are often transported to film, such as Nancy Drew , Miss Marple , and other popular detectives , as well as popular comic book superheroes . Television and film franchises are often expanded upon in novels , particularly those in
3432-417: The film The Matrix Reloaded and the video game Enter the Matrix were produced at the same time, using the same actors on the same sets, and released on the same day. Transmedia franchises occasionally release content through certain media that is not canon to the main or greater story that the franchise is built around, meaning that the elements of said content do not truly exist in the main timeline of
3510-466: The film's open ending meant that could change in the future. In April 2024, it was announced that Warner Bros. was developing a new installment in the franchise with Drew Goddard attached to write and direct following a successful pitch with studio executives. It will mark the first installment to not be directed by either Wachowski sister although Lana will serve as an executive producer. In March 2017, The Hollywood Reporter wrote that Warner Bros.
3588-512: The films are further explored in other media set in the same fictional universe , including animation, comics, and video games. The comic "Bits and Pieces of Information" and the Animatrix short film The Second Renaissance act as prequels to the films, explaining how the franchise's setting came to be. The video game Enter the Matrix connects the story of the Animatrix short " Final Flight of
3666-460: The first time. A pared-down set dubbed The Complete Matrix Trilogy was also released on HD DVD and Blu-ray (3 discs each), which dropped The Animatrix and some of the special features. The Ultra HD Blu-ray release of The Matrix Trilogy came out in 2018 (9 discs), and presented the trilogy in 4K resolution and high-dynamic-range video , remastered from the original camera negative and supervised by Bill Pope. In this release, The Matrix
3744-402: The fluid social structures of late capitalism . There is some debate about whether followers of Matrixism are indeed serious about their practice; however, the religion (real or otherwise) has received attention in the media. Following the Wachowskis' coming out as transgender women some years after the release of the films, the first film and the pill analogy have also been analyzed in
3822-603: The focus on the content of the commodity to "overlapping the commodity image with the character image". The book Anime's Media Mix: Franchising Toys and Characters in Japan, by Marc Steinberg, details the evolution of the media mix in Japan. Long-running franchises were common in the early studio era, when Hollywood studios had actors and directors under long-term contract. In such cases, even lead actors are often replaced as they age, lose interest, or their characters are killed. Spin-offs and adaptations of popular pieces of media within
3900-411: The footage, and a general bias towards the color green), and the vast majority of humans connected to it are unaware of its true nature. Most of the central characters in the series are able to gain superhuman abilities within the Matrix by taking advantage of their understanding of its true nature to manipulate its virtual physical laws . The films take place both inside the Matrix and outside of it, in
3978-415: The franchise. Canon content often times breaks continuity, leading fans to speculate or seek to confirm which media are canon and which are not, which can get confusing if the franchise does not provide an answer themselves since entire media can be non-canon to the greater story, with a popular example occurring. On the other hand, specific episodes, volumes or parts of a series can be canon while others in
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#17328444787684056-475: The game Enter the Matrix was released in North America concurrently with The Matrix Reloaded . The first of three video games related to the films, it told a story running parallel to The Matrix Reloaded and featured scenes that were shot during the filming of The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions . Two more The Matrix video games were released in 2005. The MMORPG The Matrix Online continued
4134-504: The initial idea of making a trilogy. The sequels, The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions , were filmed simultaneously during one shoot (under the project codename "The Burly Man"), and released in two parts in 2003. They tell the story of the impending attack on the human enclave of Zion by a vast machine army. Neo also learns more about the history of the Matrix and his role as The One. The sequels also incorporate more ambitious action scenes and visual effects. The Matrix
4212-451: The lawsuit to move forward in 2005, but Stewart did not attend the deposition. In a 53-page ruling, Judge Margaret Morrow dismissed the case, stating that Stewart and her attorneys "had not entered any evidence to bolster its key claims or demonstrated any striking similarity between her work and the accused directors' films." In August 2014, Stewart successfully sued her lawyers because they "failed to provide legal services to Ms. Stewart in
4290-437: The machines' source of solar power by covering the sky in thick, stormy clouds. A massive war emerged between the two adversaries which ended with the machines victorious, capturing humanity. Having lost their definite source of energy, the machines devised a way to extract the human body's bioelectric and thermal energies by enclosing people in pods, while their minds are controlled by cybernetic implants connecting them to
4368-473: The magazine), footwear, clothing of every kind, jewelry, housewares (lamps, clocks, bedding, glassware), guitars and gambling, playing cards, pinball machines and pet accessories, billiard balls, bedroom appurtenances, enhancements, plus countless other items of merchandise. Non-fiction media franchises also exist in the television and film media, with reality TV being one of the most well-known examples; ranging from competition shows like The Amazing Race to
4446-540: The making of the Matrix film series. The Matrix series includes four feature films. The first three were written and directed by the Wachowskis and produced by Joel Silver , starring Keanu Reeves , Laurence Fishburne , Carrie-Anne Moss and Hugo Weaving . The series was filmed in Australia and began with 1999's The Matrix , which depicts the recruitment of hacker Neo into humanity's rebellion against sentient machines. The film's mainstream success had backed up
4524-400: The media fictional material is unrelated. Non-fiction literary franchises include the ...For Dummies and The Complete Idiot's Guide to... reference books . An enduring and comprehensive example of a media franchise is Playboy Enterprises , which began expanding well beyond its successful magazine, Playboy , within a few years after its first publication, into such enterprises as
4602-572: The point the reference was making was misunderstood. There are similarities to cyberpunk works such as the 1984 book Neuromancer by William Gibson , who has described The Matrix as "arguably the ultimate 'cyberpunk' artifact". Japanese director Mamoru Oshii 's 1995 film Ghost in the Shell was a strong influence. Producer Joel Silver has stated that the Wachowskis first described their intentions for The Matrix by showing him that anime and saying, "We wanna do that for real." Mitsuhisa Ishikawa of Production I.G , which produced Ghost in
4680-591: The real world; the parts that take place in the Matrix are set in a vast Western megacity . The virtual world is first introduced in The Matrix . The short comic "Bits and Pieces of Information" and the Animatrix short film The Second Renaissance show how the initial conflict between humanity and machines came about, and how and why the Matrix was first developed. Its history and purpose are further explained in The Matrix Reloaded . In The Matrix Revolutions
4758-512: The request of the Wachowskis, as they explain in a written statement that accompanies the boxset, each of the three films is accompanied by two audio commentaries , one by philosophers who liked the films, and another by critics who did not, with the intention that viewers use them as reference points to form their own opinion. The compilation includes 35 hours of bonus material, but some of the extras from earlier, standalone, releases are missing. A Limited Edition of The Ultimate Matrix Collection
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#17328444787684836-416: The rumors of his involvement by saying he was "flattered", but without making a definitive statement. In October 2019, Penn confirmed the script he wrote is set within an earlier time period than the first three films in the franchise. This section includes characters who will appear or have appeared in two or more installments in the series. The following is a list of crew members who have participated in
4914-516: The same medium are not, such as the fact that only some of the Battlestar Galactica comics are canon, with a large amount of them breaking the continuity of the main story. In Japanese culture and entertainment, media mix ( wasei-eigo : メディアミックス , mediamikkusu ) is a strategy to disperse content across multiple representations: different broadcast media , gaming technologies, cell phones, toys, amusement parks , and other methods. It
4992-637: The same way that people get upset with deconstructionist philosophy . I mean, Derrida and Foucault , these people upset us. And then the third movie is the most ambiguous, because it asks you to actually participate in the construction of meaning. — Lana Wachowski , Movie City News , October 13, 2012 The Matrix films make numerous references to films and literature, and to historical myths and philosophy, including Buddhism , Vedanta , Advaita Hinduism , Christianity , Messianism , Judaism , Gnosticism , existentialism , obscurantism , and nihilism . The films' premise resembles Plato 's Allegory of
5070-446: The segments were produced by notable figures from the world of Japanese animation . Four of the films were originally released on the series' official website, one was shown in cinemas with Dreamcatcher , one was shown on MTV, MTV2, MTV3, MTV4, and Syfi, and the others first appeared with the DVD release of all nine shorts shortly after the release of The Matrix Reloaded . On May 15, 2003,
5148-416: The shared, interweaving storylines and elements of Spider-Man films, television shows, comics and video games. Espen Aarseth describes the financial logic of cost-recovery for expensive productions by identifying that a single medium launch is a lost opportunity, the timeliness of the production and release is more important than its integrity, the releases should raise brand awareness and the cross-ability of
5226-498: The similarity of the films' central concept to a device in the long-running series Doctor Who has also been noted. As in the film, the Matrix of that series (introduced in the 1976 serial The Deadly Assassin ) is a massive computer system which one enters using a device connecting to the head, allowing users to see representations of the real world and change its laws of physics; but if killed there, they will die in reality. The first Matrix film features numerous references to
5304-418: The story beyond The Matrix Revolutions , while The Matrix: Path of Neo allowed players to control Neo in scenes from the film trilogy. The Matrix Online was shut down in 2009. The Matrix official website also provided several original Adobe Flash -based browser games . An interactive technology demonstration, titled The Matrix Awakens , was released on December 9, 2021. The Matrix Comics
5382-525: The system and, considered a threat, become pursued by the artificial intelligence both inside and outside of it. The films focus on the plight of Neo ( Keanu Reeves ), Trinity ( Carrie-Anne Moss ), and Morpheus ( Laurence Fishburne and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II ) trying to free humanity from the system while pursued by its guardians, such as Agent Smith ( Hugo Weaving , Abdul-Mateen II, and Jonathan Groff ). The story references numerous norms, particularly philosophical, religious, and spiritual ideas, but also
5460-437: The two production companies that worked on the first three films. The series features a cyberpunk story of the technological fall of humanity, in which the creation of artificial intelligence led the way to a race of powerful and self-aware machines that imprisoned humans in a neural interactive simulation — the Matrix — to be farmed as a power source. Occasionally, some of the prisoners manage to break free from
5538-443: The work is critical for its success. American Idol was a transmedia franchise from its beginnings, with the first season winner Kelly Clarkson signing with RCA Records and having the release of A Moment Like This becoming a #1 hit on Billboard Hot 100. The success resulted in a nationwide concert tour, an American Idol book that made the bestseller list and the film From Justin to Kelly . A transmedia franchise however
5616-472: The world's highest-grossing media franchises . For example, Pokémon 's penetration into the American market of the franchise along with others of Japanese origin, such as Yu-Gi-Oh! , gave rise to the recognition of what is variously called transmedia storytelling , crossmedia, transmediation , media synergy, etc. Researchers argue that the 1963 Tetsuwan Atomu marked a shift in Japanese marketing from
5694-539: The world's first simultaneous release across major cities all over the world, which for the first time in history included both a release in China, and a release in IMAX theaters. Its five-day opening at $ 204 million broke the previous record, but ultimately the film made $ 427 million, a little less than the original. The Matrix and The Matrix Reloaded received positive reviews, the critical response to The Matrix Revolutions
5772-404: Was "very strange that Australia came to have three films associated with it that were all about the nature of reality." Comparisons have also been made to Grant Morrison 's comic series The Invisibles ; Morrison believes that the Wachowskis essentially plagiarized their work to create the film. The Wachowskis responded that they enjoy the comic, but did not use it for inspiration. In addition,
5850-461: Was also released. It encases the ten discs plus a resin bust of Neo inside an acrylic glass box. The Ultimate Matrix Collection was later also released on HD DVD (5 discs) and Blu-ray (6 discs) in 2007 and 2008, respectively. The HD DVD release added a picture-in-picture video commentary to the three films and the extras that were missing from the previous DVD compilation. The Blu-ray release presented The Animatrix in high definition for
5928-402: Was highly successful, earning over $ 460 million worldwide on a modest budget of $ 63 million. The sequels had a much larger budget of $ 150 million each; Reloaded was also a big commercial success, earning almost $ 742 million worldwide and becoming the highest-grossing R-rated film in history, a title which it held for 13 years until it was surpassed by the film Deadpool ; Revolutions had
6006-439: Was in the early stages of developing a re-launch of the franchise. Consideration was given to producing a Matrix television series, but was dismissed as the studio opted to pursue negotiations with Zak Penn in writing a treatment for a new film, with Michael B. Jordan eyed for the lead role. According to the article, the Wachowskis were not involved at that point. In response to the report, Penn refuted all statements regarding
6084-602: Was more negative. One complaint was that Revolutions did not give answers to the questions raised in Reloaded . In April 2003, Sophia Stewart filed a legal complaint in the United States District Court for the Central District of California alleging that the idea of The Matrix (and the 1984 film The Terminator ) were plagiarized from her own film treatment titled "The Third Eye". The court allowed
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