Forget John Wick: Keanu Reeves’ Genre-Bending Sci-Fi Thriller Is Officially a No. 1 Streaming Hit

Matrix films return to charts

Reeves became widely celebrated for playing an assassin in the John Wick franchise, but his earlier work as Neo made him a prominent figure in science fiction. The Matrix films remain highly regarded for their influence on the genre.

Reeves returned to the role in a later Matrix movie released in theaters and on HBO Max at the same time. With no new Matrix project mentioned in recent years, the films are now appearing in streaming top 10 rankings in several countries.

The original’s lasting impact

Reeves trained in martial arts for roughly four months before filming began, while recovering from neck surgery. The film arrived the same year as Fight Club and eXistenZ, amid a run of movies questioning whether people could trust the world around them.

Reeves’ other recent work

Earlier this year, Reeves appeared with Cameron Diaz and Matt Bomer in Outcome, an Apple TV movie written and directed by Jonah Hill. The film remained in the top 10 in a few countries.

Reeves also played Johnny Silverhand in Cyberpunk 2077, released in 2020. There has been no word on whether he will return for the sequel being developed at CD Projekt Red.