The first trailer for The Matrix Resurrections is dense with homages, clever footnotes and subtle visual sleights of hand that evoke one-part mystery, one-part nostalgia, and an entire sum of anticipation.
The new footage is just outside two and a half minutes, and wastes no real estate. In these early days after its release there are a few noteworthy keys of the franchise that unlock points of comparison, and invite speculation as to what the new movie will prioritize in its storytelling.
The Significance of the Black Cat & Butterflies in The Matrix 4 Trailer
In the opening moments, Keanu Reeves' Neo, or Thomas A. Anderson, is counseled by a therapist (Neil Patrick Harris) about the dreams he's been having, and how he's convinced there is more to them than simple reverie. There are a few moments here that invite investigation. The first is the appearance of the black cat walking across the therapist's desk; this is almost certainly a deliberate reference to the Matrix resetting itself when it makes a change that those inside the interface explain away as deja vu. The original Matrix explained the phenomenon, and the third film harked back to it after Neo defeats Agent Smith, and the hellscape he created reboots toward the idyllic familiar.
There are framed butterflies in the office, which, in addition to the themes of metamorphosis that are central to the film's conceit, may also be a nod to the Matrix comics. One comic in particular, called Butterfly, written and illustrated by Dave Gibbons, is based on a quote from Zhuangzi, a Daoist Chinese philosopher of the classical period. In the comic, which has no dialogue, the scenes alternate between a black-garbed freed mind dueling agents that are hunting him across dark panels, and a man dressed in white care-taking a bright room, both in the company of a butterfly. Eventually the two characters collide in dramatic fashion and the issue resolves as the caretaker sacrifices himself so that the red pill can escape. The quote:
"Once, Zhuang Zhou dreamed he was a butterfly...but he didn't know if he was Zhuang Zhou who had dreamt he was a butterfly, or a butterfly dreaming that he was Zhuang Zhou. Between Zhuang Zhou and the butterfly there must be some distinction! This is called the "Transformation of Things.""
This idea of reality and perception are exactly what Neo is seeking clarity about, and the inclusion of the butterflies seems to symbolize a physical manifestation of his doubts.
Red Pill, Blue Pill and Red Glasses, Blue Glasses in The Matrix Resurrections
Lastly, the therapist is wearing blue glasses, and, when juxtaposed against another character that appears later in the trailer wearing red glasses, there can be some justified speculation as to who these two individuals are meant to represent and, more importantly, their roles in Neo's life.
Through the Looking Glass, Literally, With Jessica Henwick's Character
At one point, Neo shields his eyes from the sun and spots a flock of birds in flight, which brings to mind a lesson he learned from the Oracle in The Matrix Reloaded about how every facet of the Matrix is regulated by sentient programs. Among many possibilities, the scene could serve to remind Neo of how hollow his existence within the system is, or perhaps spark a recollection of a specific program.
Jessica Henwick plays the role of red pill with blue hair, tattooed with a familiar white bunny. One of two overt attributions to Through the Looking Glass, she seems to use the ink toward the same effect, luring Neo away from the system and toward a greater truth. The trailer also introduces Priyanka Chopra, wearing red glasses, and reading Alice in Wonderland. She could be the Oracle's heir, Sati, all grown up and ready to guide Neo on his path.
Director Lana Wachowski replicates Trinity's debut, sitting in a room with her back to the camera, someone approaching her from behind across a dark room. In the original film, it led to one of the most iconic opening sequences in cinematic history. There are multiple scenes in which Neo ingests blue pills by the handful. The implication is that it's a drug to suppress his inkling that there's something not right with the world, but the choice to make the pills blue instead of some sterile off-white aspirin seems a conscious decision to allude to what Neo is actually medicating himself against.
Rooftop Jumps, Mirrors & Deus Ex Machina in The Matrix 4 Trailer
The rooftop jump, the rite of passage Morpheus used to help Neo's mind absorb the physical laws of the Matrix, seems to appear again in the sequel, this time with Neo and Trinity taking the leap hand in hand. The words Deus Ex Machina appear in a hallway where Morpheus and Neo are battling agents of the system. This was also the name of the central machine AI from The Matrix Revolutions that helped Neo to ultimately destroy Smith and led to the tenuous peace between Zion and the machines.
And finally the mirrors. Touching one after taking the red pill sent a river of gleaming quicksilver up Neo's arm, eventually cocooning him, until he woke in the real world in a bio fuel pod, floating in slime, connected to conductive tubes. Whether functioning as metaphorical doorways to other realities, or as totems to reflection, knowledge of self and enlightenment, they are touchstones in films that keep the spiritual aspects grounded among all the bullets, bombs and brutality.
The Matrix Resurrections, directed by Lana Wachowski, arrives in theaters and on HBO Max Dec. 22.
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