The MatrixComplete Watch Order Guide
The Matrix collection depicts a complex science fiction story incorporating many philosophical elements. Written and directed by the Wachowskis and produced by Joel Silver.
The Matrix Release Timeline
What order should you watch The Matrix movies?
Release order — click any era to expand or collapse. All 3 released films shown below.
All 3 films in release order — the recommended way to experience the full series.
Watch The Matrix in Order
Watch The Matrix movies in release order, starting with The Matrix (1999) and continuing through The Matrix Revolutions (2003). The series spans 3 films, released between 1999 and 2003. Audiences rate the franchise 7.4/10 on average.
What order should you watch The Matrix?
For most viewers, release order is the recommended way to watch The Matrix. This is how the story was crafted and revealed to audiences — earlier films seed details, callbacks, and twists that pay off in later entries. Watching in release order preserves those reveals and matches the pacing the filmmakers intended.
The Matrix largely tracks its own in-universe chronology, so release order and chronological order overlap closely. You can use either without losing much, though release order is still the safest first watch.
About The Matrix
The Matrix collection depicts a complex science fiction story incorporating many philosophical elements. Written and directed by the Wachowskis and produced by Joel Silver.
Each film builds on the previous one, rewarding viewers who watch in sequence.
The Matrix by the Numbers
Every figure below is calculated from the full film list on this page.
- 3
- Films released
- 4
- Years running
- 7.4/10
- Average audience rating
- 8.3/10
- Highest rated
- 6.8/10
- Lowest rated
- 4 years
- Longest gap between films
The Matrix has 3 released films, the first in 1999 and the most recent in 2003.
The series has been running for 4 years, from 1999 to 2003.
Across its 3 rated films, The Matrix averages 7.4/10 on TMDB, from 52,244 audience ratings.
The highest-rated entry is The Matrix (1999) at 8.3/10 on TMDB.
The lowest-rated entry is The Matrix Revolutions (2003) at 6.8/10 on TMDB.
The longest gap between consecutive films is 4 years, between The Matrix (1999) and The Matrix Reloaded (2003).
Computed by Movies in Order from The Movie Database (TMDB) collection data for The Matrix, covering all 3 released films. Last recalculated September 2026.
The Matrix Fun Facts & Trivia
The Matrix franchise spans 4 years, from 1999 to 2003.
The highest-rated entry is The Matrix with a 8.3/10 audience score.
Across all films, the franchise averages a 7.4/10 rating from audiences.
The Matrix films have collected over 52k audience ratings combined.
The most recent entry, The Matrix Revolutions (2003), continues a franchise that began 4 years earlier.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best order to watch The Matrix?
What is the first The Matrix movie?
What is the most recent The Matrix movie?
How many The Matrix movies are there in total?
How long does it take to watch all The Matrix movies?
What is the highest-rated The Matrix movie?
Can I watch The Matrix movies without watching them in order?
Where can I watch The Matrix movies online?
More Movies in Order
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See the original timeline, full stats, and editorial intro on the franchise overview page.
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