Is the Matrix real? Conspiracy theory explained
FOLLOWING the release of the 1999 cult classic The Matrix, several conspiracy theories were formed that questioned the world as we know it.
Here we take a look at those conspiracy theories and explain if the Matrix is real.
Is the Matrix real?
The Matrix was released in 1999 and told the story of Thomas Anderson, aka Neo, (Keanu Reeves), a computer hacker who stumbled upon a secret that proved his reality wasn't real.
Instead of his world being real, it was a simulation created by AI that was using humans for their energy.
After Neo made the discovery, Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) gave him a choice between a red pill and a blue pill. The blue pill would allow him to return to his life as Thomas, while the red one gave him the ability to understand the illusion that was created by the Matrix.
Following the film's release, several conspiracy theorists argued that this was the case for our world, and these theories later intensified following the release of its sequels, The Matrix Reloaded (2003), The Matrix Revolutions (2003), and The Matrix Resurrections (2021).
"When it was released, 'The Matrix' may have been the most compelling and popular illustration of the idea because it capitalized on new CGI technology and special effects that were not available to filmmakers in the past," Adam Lankford, a criminal justice professor at the University of Alabama, explained to .
Since its initial release, there have also been several scientists who have argued that the theory is correct.
Among those scientists is Oxford University philosopher Nick Bostrom, who in 2001 suggesting that a highly advanced supercomputer would be able to pull off such a task.
"We are almost certainly characters living in a computer simulation," he concluded, via .
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His theory was later supported 15 years later at a by Tesla founder Elon Musk, who stated that "the odds that we're in base reality is one in billions."
Despite massive support for the idea, it has not been proven as of this writing, and some scientists have even stated that we may never know the real answer.
How can I watch The Matrix?
It has been over 20 years since The Matrix was first released in theaters but it continues to be a sci-fi classic.
Original cast members included Keanu Reeves as Neo, Laurence Fishburne as Morpheus, Carrie-Anne Moss as Trinity, Hugo Weaving as Agent Smith, and Joe Pantoliano as Cypher, among others.
The film, and its sequels, can now be streamed on HBO Max or Amazon Prime Video with an active subscription.