An epic battle for world conquest erupted on Wednesday, as the final part of the Matrix trilogy was released simultaneously all over the world. But instead of fighting an army of evil machines, Neo and his band of rebels were locked in combat with the world of movie piracy.
Stars Keanu Reeves and Jada Pinkett Smith were in Tokyo for the premiere, which took place at exactly the same moment in 65 countries. Warner Brothers are hoping to deter potential pirates by staging the coordinated release.
At exactly 1400GMT, which equates to 6am in Los Angeles, 9am in New York and 11pm in Tokyo, eager fans got their first look at The Matrix Revolutions.
In the movie our hero once again faces the evil Agent Smith in a final confrontation between mankind and the machines. And it sounds as though Keanu is going to miss playing "the One".
"It was a journey of self," said the actor. "You start with this kind of loner, which a lot of people can relate to, and he goes out into the world. He falls in love, he has self-doubt, he's questioning the truth and reality. There's a strength about him, but a vulnerability at the same time. I really enjoyed playing him - he's a very honourable guy."
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
