Warner Bros.
Eighteen years after the third “Matrix” movie was released, the franchise is back with “The Matrix Resurrections,” which premieres in theaters and on HBO Max on Wednesday, December 22.
If you sign up for HBO Max directly through their website, there is no free trial. It’s $14.99 per month right away. However, you can get HBO Max included with a free trial of some other streaming services, which we detail below.
As such, here’s how to sign up and watch “The Matrix Resurrections” for free (note that the movie will leave HBO Max after 30 days on January 21):
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DirecTV Stream
DirecTV Stream (formerly AT&T TV) has four different channel packages: “Entertainment,” “Choice,” “Ultimate” and “Premier.” Three months of HBO Max (or however long you keep DirecTV Stream) is included in the “Choice” and above bundles, and you can select any package and any add-on you want with your free 14-day trial.
Note that the free trial isn’t advertised as such, but your “due today” amount will be $0 when signing up. If you watch on your computer, phone or tablet, you won’t be charged for 14 days. If you watch on a streaming device on your TV (Roku, Fire Stick, Apple TV, etc.), you will be charged for the first month, but you can get still get a full refund if you cancel before 14 days:
Once signed up for DirecTV Stream’s “Choice” or above bundle, you can watch “The Matrix Resurrections” on the HBO Max app (not the DirecTV Stream app), which is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Firestick, Apple TV, Chromecast, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), Samsung Smart TV, PlayStation 4 or 5, Xbox One or Series X/S, iPhone, Android phone, iPad, or Android tablet.
When signing in to HBO Max, you’ll need to use your DirecTV Stream credentials.
Hulu
HBO Max is available as an add-on to either Hulu or Hulu with Live TV. Whether you’re a new or existing Hulu subscriber, the HBO Max add-on comes with a free seven-day trial:
Once signed up for the HBO Max add-on to Hulu, you can watch “The Matrix Resurrections” on the HBO Max app (not the Hulu app), which is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Firestick, Apple TV, Chromecast, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), Samsung Smart TV, PlayStation 4 or 5, Xbox One or Series X/S, iPhone, Android phone, iPad, or Android tablet.
When signing in to HBO Max, you’ll need to use your Hulu credentials.
‘The Matrix Resurrections’ Preview
Twenty years after the events of the original “Matrix” trilogy, Neo (Keanu Reeves) is back, leading what seems like a normal life in under the name Thomas Anderson in San Francisco. But of course, that seemingly idyllic existence is about to be turned upside-down.
In addition to Reeves returning as Neo, Carrie-Anne Moss, Lambert Wilson, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Daniel Bernhardt reprise their roles from the previous films — Moss is Trinity, Wilson is The Merovingian, Pinkett Smith is Niobe, and Bernhardt is Agent Johnson. Laurence Fishburne is not in the film himself — his version of Morpheus will appear through the use of archive footage. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is playing an alternative version of Morpheus, the hacker who freed Neo from the Matrix.
Additionally, Hugo Weaving’s version of Neo’s nemesis Smith will appear through the use of archive footage. Jonathan Groff plays the new version of the character.
Joining the previous cast members are newcomers to the franchise Jenna Henwick as Bugs, Neil Patrick Harris as the Analyst, Priyanka Chopra Jonas as Sati, and Christina Ricci, Telma Hopkins, Ellen Hollman and Andrew Caldwell in undisclosed roles, plus there is an uncredited background cameo from Tom Hardy.
In an interview with “Entertainment Weekly,” Moss said that stepping back into her role alongside Reeves was effortless.
“We’ve been through this experience together as partners. The only way I can describe it is like a soul friendship,” said Moss, adding, “Most of my scenes are with Keanu, and it was just a pleasure to sit across from him and do that again. He has a masterful understanding of action. I’ve watched him grow in the last 20 years. I’m in awe of it.”
Reeves added, “Not that it needed it, but certainly the depth of why this film got made is the sense of it being a love story between Trinity and Neo.”
Reeves also said that what brought him back after nearly 20 years from the previous movie was that filmmakers Lana and Lilly Wachowski are people he couldn’t say no to.
“We had filmmakers who you wanted to say yes to,” he said, adding, “Material that you wanted to commit to, to give everything that you could to … We have an incredible filmmaker, a visionary, these amazing roles with the kind of storytelling and ideas and promotion of thought. A leap of faith? We have a lot of faith in that leap.”
“The Matrix Resurrections” will be released Wednesday, December 22 in theaters and on HBO Max.