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The Matrixfranchise has been one of the earliest path-breakers of the cinematic universe. The first movie was released in 1999 and featured Keanu Reeves in the lead role. The film was a commercial and critical success. It was a science fiction action film, written and directed by the Wachowskis. Owing to the blockbuster success of the first film, there were sequels released for the film.
However, before the release of the sequel, numerous mishappenings occurred, which made fans believe it was The Curse ofThe Matrix.
Also read-The Matrix Trilogy: Brilliant Details You Only Realize On A Rewatch
Reality behind the curse of Keanu Reeves’The Matrix
The first film featuring Keanu Reeves,The Matrix,was released in 1999. It was followed by two sequels. However, there was a series of extraordinary events, which made it difficult to complete those films. The first shock was the demise of R&B star Aaliyah, 22. The young actress died in a plane crash. She had not completed the shoot for her role of Zee, a mysterious Matrix character. The crash shook everyone and production was pushed back by months as Aaliyah’s scenes had to be reshot. Marvin Gaye’s daughter, Nona, got her part in the film.
Barely a month later, another cast member, Gloria Foster, passed away due to diabetes. She played the role of The Oracle. The difficult situation was followed by financial issues when special effects houses commissioned to produce individual shots shut down, and the cost rose unbelievably. There were exceptional fight scenes, but they cost a ton to the studio. There was a 17-minute helicopter fight through skyscrapers, which cost $31 million.
Due to the skyrocketing cost, the production ofThe Matrixsequel was on the verge of shutting down.Keanu Reeveshad to sign away his back-end points worth $2.9 million to help the film.
Also read-“I was naked pretty much the entire time”: Keanu Reeves’ ‘The Matrix 4’ Co-Star Talked To Crew Members Naked All The Time To Get Rid Of The Weird Vibes On Set
Keanu Reeves personal tragedies during the filming ofThe Matrixsequels
As per reports, Keanu Reeves’s girlfriend, Jennifer Syme gave birth to a stillborn baby girl in 1999. The couple was heartbroken, and they split soon after. However, they remained close. Sometime later in the same year, Reeves crashed his motorbike and was admitted to hospital due to broken ribs and a ruptured spleen. When the shoot started, he was again in hospital due to a foot injury during the filming.
In April 2001, Jennifer Syme also died in a car crash in LA. He was hardly able to overcome the loss when he found out that his sister’s leukemia had relapsed. His sister Kim had been battling leukemia for ten years before the relapse. Reeves abandoned the film and flew her to Hawaii to be there for her and make her comfortable.
The string of mishappenings was a massive blow to the cast and crew of the film. The continuous events led to talks about the Curse ofThe Matrixamong the fans.
The sequels,The MatrixReloadedandThe MatrixRevolutionswere released in 2003. The fourth installment,The MatrixResurrectionsreleased in 2021.
The Matrixis available for streaming on Max.
Also read-Christopher Nolan Firmly Believed Casting The Matrix Star Was a Huge Mistake, Will Destroy His 1999 Cult-Classic
Source-Evening Standard
Arushi Srivastava
Articles Published :711
Arushi is a keen follower of Hollywood movies and TV shows. She has an experience of 5+ years in content writing and loves to write on everything around Hollywood and fan fiction. An ardent Hollywood buff, Arushi loves to tell stories through her writing and has contributed to several posts. You will find her following celebrities and enjoying classics in her free time.
