The Matrix 4 Shoot Causes Property Damage With Intense Explosions

If there’s one time-honored franchise known for its special effects, it’s The Matrix trilogy.

From bullet-time to those jaw-dropping fight scenes, Warner’s sci-fi gem truly set the bar high, though the importance of practical effects and stuntwork clearly isn’t lost on Lana Wachowski, who presided over an artificial war this past weekend when The Matrix 4 took over the streets of San Francisco – specifically Market Street, where a number of low-flying helicopters and bone-rattling explosions were snapped by curious onlookers.

And while it’s impossible to capture the true magnitude of said battle on a smartphone, according to NBC Bay Area (h/t CinemaBlend), San Francisco felt the full force of those staged explosions, leading to approximately $2,000 worth of damage to street lamps and a nearby advertising billboard.

So, yes, The Matrix 4 is doubling down on its practical effects – so much so, that it’s led to some collateral damage. How, exactly, the San Francisco battle scene fits into the story is another question entirely, but we do know that both Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss are reprising their famous roles: Neo and Trinity, respectively.

They’ll be surrounded by a who’s who of Hollywood talent, including Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jonathan Groff, Toby Onwumere, Eréndira Ibarra, Neil Patrick Harris, Jessica Henwick, Priyanka Chopra, Andrew Caldwell, and Brian J. Smith. Though the jury’s still out on whether Hugo Weaving will find time on his busy schedule to make a cameo appearance as Agent Smith, the dreaded embodiment of the Matrix itself.

The Matrix 4 enters our world next year – May 2021, to be specific, where it currently shares its release date with the fourth John Wick movie. A double helping of Keanu Reeves? Is this the real life? Or is this just fantasy?