I propose to examine the complex fan relationships with the 1999 film The Matrix and its sequels while incorporating some of the popular analyses of the text. Released a little more than ten years ago, on March 31, 1999, the Wachowski Brothers’ opus ostensibly revolutionized the American action film, incorporating aspects of Japanese and Hong Kong cinema and with thematic layers encouraging repeat viewings. As an avid fan of the original films and an occasional “basher” of its sequels, Matrix Reloaded and Matrix Revolutions, they have special personal meaning to my role as a fan. As a major part of my research, I want to examine fan viewing practices of speculation using forum archives before and between the two later movies, as well as fan reaction.

Interestingly, The Matrix producers have closely supervised several official paratexts: the companion comic books and The Animatrix, a collection of nine short animated films. Additionally, an unofficial ARG (Alternate Reality Game) called Metacortex developed a devoted community around the time of Revolutions’ release. ARGs are multimedia games that involve puzzle solving, somewhat advanced computer skills, and often real world interactions. The level of “canon” of official and unofficial auxiliary texts creates debate among fan groups as well.

At least two books examining the philosophy of The Matrix have been published as well and may prove useful in psychoanalytic analysis of the films as well.

I hope to obtain a copy of The Matrix in Theory (Diaz-Diocaretz, Rodopi: 2006) through ILL to supplement our own library’s The Matrix and Philosophy (Irwin, Open Court: 2002) and related works.