The Matrix Archives – CULTURE MIX

2025 New York Comic Con: What to expect at this year’s event

October 6, 2025

by Carla Hay

Sydney Chandler in “Alien: Earth” (Photo by Patrick Brown/FX)

The 20th annual New York Comic Con takes place October 9 to October 12, 2025, in New York City. The pop culture event, which is produced by ReedPOP, has come a long way since it launched in 2006, and has overcome certain challenges in the past five years.

In 2023, New York Comic Con was affected by strikes by the the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and the Writers Guild of America. The striking actors and actresses in attedance either did autograph or photo sessions, or they if they did panel/Q&A discussions, they had to limit the topics to things that didn’t promote work owned or produced by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers companies that they were striking against.

In 2022, New York Comic Con returned to being an in-person-only event, after being a hybrid event (where people could attend in person or virtually) in 2021. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, New York Comic Con was cancelled as an in-person event in 2020, and instead presented as a scaled-down virtual-only event. Before the pandemic, New York Comic Con attracted about 250,000 people per year since 2017, according to ReedPOP. In 2024, about 200,000 people attended, according to ReedPOP.

In 2025, New York Comic Con’s main hub remains at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. New York Comic Con will continue its exclusive lineup of programming for professionals (a feature that launched in 2024) that begins on Wednesday, October 8, before New York Comic Con officially opens to the public on Thursday, October 9. Programming for professionals will continue through October 12. October 8 is Comic Book Retailers Day at this year’s New York Comic Con.

Cast member reunions are a big theme for New York Comic Con panels this year. “Fantastic Four” (2005) co-stars Ioan Gruffudd and Michael Chiklis reunite for a panel discussion on October 9. Also on October 9 is a “Mr. Robot” reunion with co-stars Rami Malek and Christian Slater and creator/showrunner Sam Esmail. The “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” reunion panel on October 11 will feature co-stars Clark Gregg, Ming-Na Wen and Chloe Bennet. “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” co-stars Simu Liu and Meng’er Zhang reunite for a panel about the movie on October 11. On October 12, James McAvoy and Elliot Page of “X-Man: Days of Future Past” will be on a reunion panel, while “The Matrix” reunion panel will feature Laurence Fishburne and Joe Pantoliano. Also on October 12, several voice cast members from the animated series “Avatar: The Last Airbender” will reunite for a panel discussion.

In addition, notable entertainers will get their own spotlight Q&As, such as actress Sigourney Weaver on October 10, actor Tim Blake Nelson on October 9, actor Hamish Linklater on October 12, and author George R.R. Martin on October 11. On October 12, Oscar-winning filmmaker Martin Scorsese will make his New York Comic Con debut as the moderator of a panel about the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, which will open in Los Angeles in 2026. Award-winning music artist Post Malone will be on an October 10 discussion panel about his graphic novel series “Big Rig” with members of the “Big Rig” creative team.

New York Comic Con provides several fan meet-ups in separate rooms on various days. The fandoms getting meet-ups at New York Comic Con this year are for “Star Wars,” “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” “Demon Slayer,” “Dan Da Dan,” “K-Pop Demon Hunters,” “Gundam,” ” “Arcane,” “Stranger Things,” “Mario Kart Street Pass 3D World,” DC Universe rogues and villains, Spider-Verse rogues and villains, “Pokémon” and “Final Fantasy.” There is also a New York Comic Con Talent Show open to amateur performers on October 10.

Panels about Broadway shows make a comeback at New York Comic Con in 2025, after being mostly absent from New York Comic Con 2024. Broadway shows that will each of their own panel include “Hamilton,” “The Lost Boys,” “Stranger Things: The First Shadow,” “Death Becomes Her” and “The Little Shop of Horrors.”

TV SHOWS

A scene from “IT: Welcome to Derry” (Photo courtesy of HBO)

TV shows continue to dominate the most high-profile panels and activities. New York Comic Con in 2025 has the following TV shows with panel showcases in the event’s largest rooms: HBO will show preview clips and have discussions for the fantasy drama series “The Knights of the Seven Kingdoms” on October 9 and the horror series “IT: Welcome to Derry” on October 11. FX’s sci-fi series “Alien: Earth” gets a showcase on October 9. On October 10, AMC network’s horror shows get a spotlight with separate panels for “The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon” and Anne Rice Universe series. “Anne Rice’s Talamasca: The Secret Order” and “Anne Rice’s The Vampire Lestat” will be showcased on the latter panel.

The popular “Star Trek Universe” panel returns on October 11, with spotlights on “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” and “Star Trek: Star Fleet Academy.” FX’s limited sci-fi drama series “The Beauty” (about a sexually transmitted virus that creates beauty but causes deadly destruction) gets a panel on October 11.

Animation enthusiasts have numerous panels to look forward to at the event. For American-made animation, panels include Prime Video’s “Mighty Nein” on October 9, Prime Video’s “Invincible” on October 10, Prime Video’s “Hazbin Hotel” on October 10, Netflix’s “Jurassic World: Chaos Theory” on October 11, Tubi’s “Breaking Bear” on October 11, Prime Video’s “Bat-Fam” on October 11, Fox’s “Bob’s Burgers” on October 11, Marvel Animation on October 11, and HBO Max’s “Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake” on October 12. Fans of Japanese anime series have several panel options, including Sanzigen and Sola Entertainment’s “Rooster Fighter” on October 11, Crunchyroll’s “Dan Da Dan” on October 9, Toei Animation’s “One Piece” on October 10, and Crunchyroll’s “Trigun Stargaze” on October 10. Crunchyroll will also have two separate showcase panels for a variety of shows on October 9.

Fans of series about detectives, spies and crimes have some options. Apple TV+ will present a panel discussion for the spy drama “Slow Horses” on October 9, with cast members who are not main star Gary Oldman. The titular main stars of Paramount+’s crime procedural spinoff “NCIS: Tony & Ziva” will be in attendance for an October 9 panel about the show. On October 10, Prime Video will have a panel for the detective drama “Cross.” Peacock’s technology hacker drama series “The Copenhagen Test” gets a showcase on October 12.

MOVIES

Glen Powell in “The Running Man” (Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures)

Most of the feature films that have panels at New York Comic Con this year are action films, horror movies, and animated films. They include Paramount Pictures action remake of “The Running Man” on October 9, Amazon MGM Studios’ sci-fi crime thriller “Mercy,” Warner Bros. Pictures’ action sequel “Mortal Kombat II” on October 11, and Crunchyroll’s animated “Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc” on October 12.

On October 10, Blumhouse Productions, whose specialty is horror, will present its annual BlumFest showcase for the company’s upcoming horror movies. The specific movies that will be a part of BlumFest are to be announced. The horror-focused streaming service Shudder will have a showcase of Shudder movies on October 11. That panel’s lineup is also to be announced.

OTHER PROGAMMING

There will be plenty of panels, exhibits and previews for comic books, video games, podcasts, fantasy novels and other pop-culture attractions. The 2025 Harvey Awards ceremony will be livestreamed during New York Comic Con on October 10.

New York Comic Con also offers specialty areas for attendees with specific identity needs. Launched in 2022, the annual Pride Lounge (located in Room 1C01-02), for people with LGBTQ interests, has LGBTQ-themed discussion panels and guest appearances. Family HQ (in Hall 1E: Family & Interactive Workshops) is a family-friendly environment, with an emphasis on activities for pre-teen children. In addition, there are spaces for gamers in the Side Quest area (in Hall 1E: D&D HQ) offering a variety of gaming options. Professional Programming (for industry professionals) will have panels and a lounge area for professionals at the River Pavilion and will be accessible only to people who have business-related New York Comic Con badges.

It wouldn’t be a Comic Con without cosplaying and merchandise sales. This year, the Cosplay Central area has relocated from the River Pavilion to Rooms 1E01 to 1E05 at the Javits Center. While at Cosplay Central, cosplayers can mingle, pose for photos, use the dressing rooms and attend panel discussions. On the Main Stage at Javits Center, the Cosplay Central Crown Championships will take place on October 11, and the Cosplay Central Costume Showcase will take place on October 12. New York Comic Con also has an enormous amount of merchandise for sale for numerous types of entertainment.

AUTOGRAPH SESSIONS AND PHOTO OPS

Several stars from movies and TV shows will have individual autograph sessions and/or photo opportunities with fans, for a fee. Prices will vary, according to the celebrity. Participants include:

Wayne Brady (“Let’s Make a Deal,” “Whose Line Is It Anyway?,” “Black Lightning”) on October 10 and October 11. (Autographs and photos.)
Michael Chiklis (2005’s “Fantastic Four,” “The Shield,” “The Commish”) on October 9 and October 10. (Autographs and photos.)
Mike Colter (“Evil,” “Luke Cage”) on October 11 and October 12. (Autographs and photos.)
Charlie Cox (“Daredevil” TV series, “Daredevil: Born Again,” “Stardust”) on October 11 and October 12. (Autographs and photos.)
Vincent D’Onofrio (“Daredevil: Born Again,” “Men in Black,” “Law & Order: Criminal Intent”) on October 11 and October 12. (Autographs and photos.)
Laurence Fishburne (“The Matrix,” “Man of Steel,” “Ant-Man and the Wasp,” “John Wick”) on October 11 and October 12. (Autographs and photos.)
Brendan Fraser (“The Mummy” movies, “Doom Patrol,” “George of the Jungle”) on October 12. (Autographs and photos.)
Karen Gillan (“Guardians of the Galaxy” movies, “Jumanji,” “Avengers: Endgame”) on October 10. (Autographs and photos.)
Clark Gregg (“Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” “The Avengers,” “Snowpiercer” TV series) on October 11 and October 12. (Autographs and photos.)
Bryce Dallas Howard (“Jurassic World” movies, “Spider-Man 3,” “The Mandalorian”) on October 11 and October 12. (Autographs and photos.)
Ernie Hudson (“Ghostbusters” movies, “Quantum Leap”) on October 11 and October 12. (Autographs and photos.)
Hamish Linklater (“X-Men” movies, “Batman: The Caped Crusader,” “Gen V”) on October 11 and October 12. (Autographs and photos.)
Simu Liu (“Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” “Barbie,” “Kim’s Convenience”) on October 10 and October 11. (Autographs and photos.)
George R.R. Martin (“Game of Thrones”) on October 10 and October 11. (Book signing autographs only.)
James McAvoy (“X-Men” movies, “His Dark Materials,” “Split”) on October 11 and October 12. (Autographs and photos.)
Tim Blake Nelson (“The Incredible Hulk,” “Captain America: Brave New World,” 2015’s “Fantastic Four” on October 9. (Book signing autographs only.)
Elliot Page (“X-Men” movies, “The Umbrella Academy,” “Inception,” “The Odyssey”) on October 11 and October 12. (Autographs and photos.)
Joe Pantoliano (“The Matrix,” “The Sopranos,” “Wonder Man”) on October 11 and October 12. (Autographs and photos.)
Simon Pegg (“Mission: Impossible” movies, “Star Trek” movies, “Shaun of the Dead”) on October 11 and October 12. (Autographs and photos.)
Annie Potts (“Ghostbusters” movies, “Toy Story”) on October 11 and October 12. (Autographs and photos.)
Norman Reedus (“The Walking Dead,” “The Boondock Saints”) on October 11. (Autographs and photos.)
Krysten Ritter (“Jessica Jones,” “The Defenders,” “Breaking Bad”) on October 11 and October 12. (Autographs and photos.)
Karl Urban (“The Boys,” “Star Trek Movie,” “Mortal Kombat II”) on October 9 and October 10. (Autographs and photos.)
Sigourney Weaver (“Alien” movies, “Avatar” movies, “Ghostbusters,” “Galaxy Quest”) on October 10 and October 11. (Autographs and photos.)
Mae Whitman (“Scott Pilgrim vs. the World,” “Good Girls,” “Avatar: The Last Airbender”) on October 10, October 11 and October 12. (Autographs and photos.)
Deborah Ann Woll (“Daredevil: Born Again,” “True Blood”) on October 10, October 11 and October 12. (Autographs and photos.)

TELEVISION AND WEB SERIES PANELS

(The following are descriptions of panels that are being held in the two largest rooms at 2025’s New York Comic Con: The Empire Stage and the Main Stage. All panel descriptions are courtesy of New York Comic Con.)

“A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms”

October 9, 2025, 12 PM – 1 PM

Empire Stage

Step back into Westeros, a century before “Game of Thrones,” with unlikely duo, Ser Duncan the Tall, and his diminutive squire, Egg. Co-creator and executive producer George R.R. Martin, co-creator/showrunner Ira Parker, and stars Peter Claffey (Ser Duncan “Dunk” the Tall) and Dexter Sol Ansell (Egg) introduce the new HBO series “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.” The panel will be moderated by Brandon Davis, host of Phase Hero: A Film & TV Podcast. This series will debut on HBO and HBO Max in 2026.

“Critical Role/The Mighty Nein”

October 9, 2025, 11 AM – 12 PM

Main Stage

As the countdown begins for the November 19 premiere of The Mighty Nein on Prime Video, join Critical Role’s cast and executive producers—Laura Bailey, Matthew Mercer, Marisha Ray, Liam O’Brien, Ashley Johnson, Taliesin Jaffe, Sam Riegel, and Travis Willingham—for a can’t-miss conversation about what’s next in their expanding universe. Get the inside scoop on the upcoming animated series, fresh updates on The Legend of Vox Machina Season Four, and a special look ahead at Campaign Four of Critical Role’s flagship show. Plus, celebrate 10 incredible years of storytelling with the cast.

“Slow Horses”

October 9, 2025, 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM

Main Stage

Apple’s Emmy and BAFTA Award-winning hit espionage drama “Slow Horses” follows a dysfunctional team of British intelligence agents who serve in a dumping ground department of MI5 known affectionately as Slough House led by the brilliant but cantankerous Jackson Lamb, played by Academy Award winner Sir Gary Oldman. Join us for an exclusive panel featuring the misfit team of spies including Christopher Chung (“Roddy Ho”), James Callis (“Claude Whelan”), and Ruth Bradley (“Emma Flyte”), special season five guest star Nick Mohammed (“Zafar Jaffrey”) and Emmy Award-nominated director Saul Metzstein. “Slow Horses” Season 5 premiered globally with the first episode on September 24, 2025 on Apple TV+.

“Dan Da Dan”

October 9, 2025, 4:15 PM – 5: 15 PM

Empire Stage

Are we alone in the universe? Why can I see dead people? Aliens and ghosts can’t possibly BOTH exist… Unless? Join Crunchyroll as we dive headfirst into the paranormal mayhem of the hit anime series “Dan Da Dan” with the English voice cast: Abby Trott (Momo), A.J. Beckles (Okarun), and Aleks Le (Jiji). Whether you believe in apparitions or extraterrestrials, buckle up for a behind-the-scenes, one-of-a-kind wild ride!

“Cross”

October 9, 2025 5:15 PM – 6:15 PM

Main Stage

Prime Video’s hit series “Cross,” based on the worldwide bestselling novels by James Patterson, returns to the New York Comic Con stage with an exclusive first look at the second season of the thrilling crime drama. Aldis Hodge is back as Detective Alex Cross, joined by Isaiah Mustafa, Alona Tal, Samantha Walkes, Jeanine Mason, Wes Chatham, Matthew Lillard, and showrunner and executive producer Ben Watkins, for a darker, jaw-dropping, and more unpredictable new season. The panel will reveal shocking new cases, high-stakes revelations, and the intense character moments that have made “Cross” a standout hit.

“Alien: Earth”

October 9, 2025, 6:30 PM – 8 PM

Empire Stage

FX’s “Alien: Earth” crash-lands at New York Comic Con for the first time! Join series creator Noah Hawley, EP David W. Zucker (Scott Free) and the cast of this critically acclaimed sci-fi horror series for an unforgettable discussion. Inspired by the acclaimed feature film franchise, FX’s “Alien: Earth” follows a young woman (Sydney Chandler) and a ragtag group of tactical soldiers who make a fateful discovery that puts them face-to-face with the planet’s greatest threat. FX’s “Alien: Earth” airs Tuesdays at 8pm ET/PT on FX and is available to stream on Hulu.

“Mr. Robot 10th Anniversary Reunion”

October 9, 2025, 8 PM – 9 PM

Empire Stage

Celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Golden Globe and Emmy-winning series “Mr. Robot,” with creator Sam Esmail and stars Rami Malek and Christian Slater in a special live taping of Josh Horowitz’s Happy Sad Confused podcast. Revisit the groundbreaking series that earned Malek a Primetime Emmy and Slater a Golden Globe, explore behind-the-scenes stories and reflect on the lasting impact of the show that hacked its way into modern-day TV history.

“One Piece”

October 10, 2025, 12:45 PM – 1:45 PM

Empire Stage

Join Toei Animation for an exciting look at what’s next in the world of “One Piece.” Featuring special guests Series Director Wataru Matsumi, Producer Ryuta Koike, and English Voice Actors Ian Sinclair [Brook] and Madeleine Morris [Lilith], this panel offers exclusive conversations around the anime’s latest developments – and beyond. You won’t want to miss a few surprises planned just for NYCC!

“Hazbin Hotel”

October 10, 2025, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM

Main Stage

It’s almost time to check in for Season Two of Prime Video’s “Hazbin Hotel,” so join creator and executive producer Vivienne Medrano, and series stars Erika Henningsen, Blake Roman, Amir Talai, Kimiko Glenn, Alex Brightman, Jessica Vosk, Joel Perez, Lilli Cooper, Krystina Alabado and more for one helluva good panel filled with Season Two insights and breaking news that fans won’t want to miss. Trust Us.

“Trugun Stargaze”

October 10, 2025, 3:30 PM – 4:45 PM

Empire Stage

The legendary Humanoid Typhoon is back in “Trigun Stargaze”! Join Crunchyroll alongside Yasuhiro Nightow (author), Masako Sato (director), Yota Shirasu (producer, Orange), and Yoshihiro Watanabe (producer, Orange) for an exclusive look at the highly anticipated sequel. Be the first to hear behind-the-scenes insights, and catch the two-episode world premiere!

“Invincible”

October 10, 2025, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM

Empire Stage

Join Emmy-Award winner Steven Yeun, Gillian Jacobs, co-creator, co-showrunner, executive producer Robert Kirkman, and members of the star-studded voice cast for exclusive conversation filled with Season Four teases, behind-the-scenes insights, and surprises Invincible fans won’t want to miss. Has Invincible recovered from the fight with Conquest? Will things ever be the same with Eve? Will there be more Omni-Man in Season Four? Where is Season Five, William? All questions that may or may not be answered!

“Anne Rice’s Immortal Universe”

October 10, 2025, 6:45 PM – 8 PM

Main Stage

AMC and AMC+ present panels featuring the casts and executive producers from two series within Anne Rice’s Immortal Universe, including the highly anticipated new series “Anne Rice’s Talamasca: The Secret Order,” focused on the secretive society responsible for tracking and containing the witches, vampires, and other creatures around the globe, ahead of its October 26 premiere on AMC and AMC+, and the new rock-and-roll season of “Anne Rice’s The Vampire Lestat,” which follows rockstar Lestat and his band on tour and returns in 2026.

“The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon”

October 10, 2025, 8:30 PM – 9:15 PM

Main Stage

Ahead of season three’s final two episodes, the cast and executive producers discuss the remainder of the season, which tracks Carol and Daryl as they continue their journey towards home and the ones they love, and share exclusive new footage from the show.

“IT: Welcome to Derry”

October 11, 2025, 11 AM – 12 PM

Empire Stage

Join cast and creatives for an exclusive look at never-before-seen footage from HBO’s upcoming series IT: WELCOME TO DERRY, from Warner Bros. Television. Panelists include: Andy Muschietti (Director, EP), Barbara Muschietti (EP), Jason Fuchs (Co-Showrunner, EP), Brad Caleb Kane (Co-Showrunner, EP), Taylour Paige, Jovan Adepo, Chris Chalk, James Remar, Kimberly Guerrero, and Stephen Rider.

“Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Reunion”

October 11, 2025, 11 AM – 12 PM

Main Stage

Your favorite agents have returned to NYCC —this time for a special cast reunion with the stars who helped turn a one-shot revival into seven seasons of unforgettable storytelling. Join Clark Gregg (Agent Phil Coulson), Ming-Na Wen (Agent Melinda May), and Chloe Bennet (Daisy Johnson/Quake) as they reflect on the show’s lasting legacy, share behind-the-scenes stories, and celebrate the passionate fan community that kept the S.H.I.E.L.D. mission alive. From “Coulson Lives!” to the rise of Quake and the saga of time-hopping agents and LMDs, this is the ultimate reunion for anyone who rode the bus from day one.

“Marvel Television and Marvel Animation”

October 11, 2025, 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM

Empire Stage

Join special guests for a look behind the scenes at Marvel’s upcoming Disney+ shows from Marvel Television and Marvel Animation.

“Bob’s Burgers”

October 11, 2025, 2 PM – 3 PM

Main Stage

“Bob’s Burgers” is heading to New York Comic Con! Join creator and executive producer Loren Bouchard and cast members H. Jon Benjamin, John Roberts, Kristen Schaal, Eugene Mirman, Dan Mintz and Larry Murphy as they celebrate the series’ milestone 300th episode with a lively discussion, behind-the-scenes stories, exclusive sneak peek clips, and plenty of laughs. Don’t miss your chance to catch the Belchers live at the Javits Center – Main Stage.

“Star Trek Universe”

October 11, 2025, 3:15 PM – 4:15 PM

Empire Stage

The fan-favorite Star Trek universe panel returns to New York Comic Con, featuring exclusive sneak peeks and conversations with cast members and producers from the Paramount+ Original “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” and the upcoming new series “Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.” Plus, more exciting reveals and surprises for fans in attendance that you won’t want to miss!

“Breaking Bear”

October 11, 2025, 3:45 PM – 4:45 PM

Main Stage

Breaking Bear is a fur-flying, law-breaking, forest-saving rampage following a dysfunctional family of bears who go full criminal to stop frackers, mobsters, and a psychotic wolf pack from destroying their home. As they spiral deeper into the criminal abyss, they face off against biker gangs, an egomaniacal news anchor, and their own spectacular talent for self-sabotage. Join panelists, Oscar winner Brendan Fraser, Emmy winner Sarah Michelle Gellar, Emmy winner Annie Murphy and Elizabeth Hurley. “Breaking Bear” will premiere on Tubi in 2026.

“The Beauty”

October 11, 2025, 6:15 PM – 7:15 PM

Main Stage

Be among the first to catch a sneak-peek of FX’s “The Beauty,” a new international thriller from executive producer, writer, and director Ryan Murphy. Join stars Evan Peters, Anthony Ramos, Jeremy Pope, Rebecca Hall and Ashton Kutcher as they discuss filming the sci-fi action series across New York, Paris, Venice and Rome. Based on the comic books of the same name by Jeremy Haun and Jason A. Hurley, a sexually transmitted virus makes those affected more beautiful, but with deadly consequences. FX’s “The Beauty” premieres on Hulu in early 2026.

“Avatar: The Last Airbender 20th Anniversary”

October 12, 2025, 11 AM – 12 PM

Main Stage

20 Years. 4 Elements. 1 Avatar. Nickelodeon is celebrating “Avatar: The Last Airbender’s” 20th anniversary with a panel that will take fans on a special journey through the legacy of the Avatar-verse. Join original voice cast members as they celebrate one of the most beloved animated series of all time. Yip Yip!

“Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake”

October 12, 2025, 12:45 PM – 1:45 PM

Main Stage

Take your nearest subway, taxi, or multiversal portal to the Javits Center cause Adventure Time is returning to New York Comic Con! Join executive producer and showrunner Adam Muto along with voice cast members Madeleine Martin, Roz Ryan, and Ashly Burch for an exclusive sneak peek at the multiversal adventures that await in Season 2 of the HBO Max Original series from Cartoon Network Studios, “Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake.

MOVIE PANELS

“Ioan Gruffudd and Michael Chiklis in Conversation”

October 9, 2025, 12:45 PM – 1:45 PM

Main Stage

Reed Richards and Ben Grimm are back! Join Ioan Gruffudd and Michael Chiklis for a lively, nostalgic conversation as they reflect on bringing Marvel’s First Family to life in “Fantastic Four” and “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.”Hear behind-the-scenes stories from the set, learn how they built the dynamic between Mr. Fantastic and The Thing, and discover what it was like to step into such iconic roles before the Marvel movie boom really began. Whether you’re a lifelong fan of Marvel’s First Family or just love hearing great Hollywood stories, this panel is a can’t-miss trip back to the Baxter Building.

“Mercy”

October 9, 2025, 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM

Empire Stage

Step into the world of Mercy with Chris Pratt (actor), Kali Reis (actor), and Timur Bekmambetov (director/producer). Set in the near future, an LAPD detective (Pratt) wakes up strapped to an execution chair, on trial for murdering his wife. He has 90 minutes to prove his innocence to Judge Maddox (Rebecca Ferguson), an advanced A.I. system, or face immediate death. Get an exclusive first look at this high-stakes sci-fi crime thriller and hear directly from the cast and director as they reveal how they brought this race-against-time story to life! “Mercy” hits theaters on January 23, 2026.

“The Running Man”

October 10, 2025, 11 AM – 12 PM

Empire Stage

Writer/Director Edgar Wright joins stars Glen Powell and Lee Pace for an exclusive look at this fall’s adrenaline-fueled, action-packed theatrical event. Adapted from the acclaimed best seller by Stephen King, “The Running Man” is only in theatres this November.

“Sigourney Weaver Q&A”

October 10, 2025, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM

Main Stage

Join screen legend Sigourney Weaver as she sits down with Josh Horowitz of Happy Sad Confused to discuss her work in the legendary “Alien” films as well as her other iconic sci-fi roles.

“BlumFest”

October 10, 2025, 8 PM – 9 PM

Empire Stage

Blumhouse returns to the Javits Center for an explosive third year with BlumFest 2025 at New York Comic Con! The company will showcase its terrifying upcoming projects for this year plus an electrifying sneak peek at what’s upcoming for 2026.

“Mortal Kombat II”

October 11, 2025, 5 PM – 6 PM

Empire Stage

Return to the brutal glory of the Earthrealm in New Line Cinema’s all-new “Mortal Kombat II”! The Warner Bros. Pictures presentation at NYCC will offer fans a glimpse into the latest high-stakes installment in the blockbuster video game-inspired film franchise. The panel guests include stars Karl Urban, Adeline Rudolph, Tati Gabrielle and Martyn Ford, along with filmmakers Simon McQuoid and Ed Boon, and screenwriter Jeremy Slater, moderated by a special guest.

“X-Men: Days of Future Past Reunion”

October 12, 2025, 12 PM – 1 PM

Empire Stage

Mutants assemble! Join James McAvoy (Professor Charles Xavier) and Elliot Page (Kitty Pryde) for a special reunion celebrating their unforgettable roles in the X-Men film franchise. From the halls of Xavier’s School to the time-bending events of “Days of Future Past,” these fan-favorite stars reflect on what it meant to bring Marvel’s mutants to life on the big screen. Expect behind-the-scenes stories, character insights, and plenty of love for the films that reshaped superhero cinema for a new generation. No Cerebro required—just bring your inner mutant.

“The Matrix Reunion”

October 12, 2025, 1:45 PM – 2:45 PM

Empire Stage

Step back into the groundbreaking world of “The Matrix” with Joe Pantoliano (Cypher) and Laurence Fishburne (Morpheus), moderated by Josh Horowitz! Join these iconic stars as they reminisce about the making of the sci-fi phenomenon that redefined cinema. From mind-bending stunts and revolutionary visual effects to the unforgettable philosophy and world-building that continue to inspire fans and filmmakers alike, this panel is a deep dive into the reality-bending universe of the Matrix. Under Josh Horowitz’s guidance, the cast will share behind-the-scenes stories, reflect on the experience of filming some of the most iconic action sequences in movie history, and discuss their characters’ journeys through a world where nothing is as it seems. Whether you’re a longtime fan or a newcomer to the Matrix, this conversation promises insight, nostalgia, and a few surprises from the legends who brought this universe to life.”

“Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc”

October 12, 2025, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM

Main Stage

Get an inside look at the making of Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc with the creative team behind the film, brought to you by MAPPA! The film hits U.S. theaters on October 24, 2025. Hear behind-the-scenes stories, creative insights, and what to expect as the team gets ready to bring it to the big screen.

Review: ‘The Matrix Resurrections’ starring Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Jessica Henwick, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jonathan Groff, Neil Patrick Harris and Jada Pinkett Smith

December 23, 2021

by Carla Hay

“The Matrix Resurrections”

Directed by Lana Wachowski

Culture Representation: Taking place in San Francisco, Tokyo and various parts of the universe, the sci-fi action flick “The Matrix Resurrections” features a racially diverse cast of characters (white, African American and Asian) representing the working-class, middle-class and wealthy.

Culture Clash: Thomas Anderson, also known as universe-saving hero Neo, gets pulled out of his “normal” life and back into the Matrix, as he strives to reunite with his long-lost love Trinity.

Culture Audience: “The Matrix Revolutions” will appeal primarily to people who are die-hard fans of “The Matrix” franchise and star Keanu Reeves, because everyone else will be easily lose interest in the movie’s jumbled and monotonous plot.

Jessica Henwick, Keanu Reeves and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II in “The Matrix Resurrections” (Photo by Murray Close/Warner Bros. Pictures)

If you’re not familiar with any of the previous “Matrix” movies, then “The Matrix Resurrections” doesn’t care about you. The visual effects and stunts are dazzling, but this sci-fi/action movie’s plot is convoluted and duller than it should have been. Many people who’ve seen the previous Matrix movies will get confused or bored. You really need encyclopedic “Matrix” knowledge and an excellent memory to keep track of all the references to the previous “Matrix” movies that “The Matrix Resurrections” keeps dumping in the story without a proper explanation or much context.

Even if you prepare to watch “The Matrix Resurrections” by watching or re-watching the previous “Matrix” movies, you’ll notice that “The Matrix Resurrections” doesn’t do anything clever or innovative with the story. It’s just a tangled and tedious retelling of a basic adventure concept of a male hero going to a lot of trouble to impress and save the woman he loves.

In “The Matrix Resurrections,” which is the fourth movie in “The Matrix” film series, Lana Wachowski returns as a solo director, after co-directing the previous three “Matrix” films with her younger sister, Lilly Wachowski. The three previous films are 1999’s “The Matrix” (still the best one in the series), 2003’s “The Matrix Reloaded” and 2003’s “The Matrix Revolutions.” The first “Matrix” movie earned four well-deserved Academy Awards: Best Visual Efects, Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing and Best Sound Mixing.

Lana Wachowski co-wrote “The Matrix Resurrections” with David Mitchell and Aleksandar Hemon. These screenwriters have a clear disregard for the possibility that “The Matrix Resurrections” might be the first “Matrix” movie that some people will ever see. There is almost no attempt in “The Matrix Resurrections” to clearly explain what happened in the previous “Matrix” movies. When familiar characters appear in “The Matrix Resurrections,” viewers who are new to the franchise will not have an understanding of how these characters are relevant to the story, unless viewers know what these characters did in the previous “Matrix” movies.

There are some flashback scenes in “The Matrix Resurrections,” but they do little or nothing to explain the purpose of the characters who are shown in the flashbacks. Pity anyone who watches “The Matrix Resurrections” without this basic knowledge: Thomas Anderson, also known as Neo (played by Keanu Reeves), is the chosen hero, who is called The One, in an ongoing battle over control of humans and other beings in the universe. There’s an alternate world called the Matrix, where people are under the delusion that the world they live in is reality, but the Matrix is in fact a simulated reality.

In the first “Matrix” movie, Neo had a mentor named Morpheus (played by Laurence Fishburne), who gave Neo the choice between taking a blue pill or a red pill. The blue pill would ensure that Neo would continue to live a blissful but delusional existence. The red pill would open Neo’s eyes to the truth. Neo took the red pill.

During Neo’s battle to save the universe in the first “Matrix” movie, Neo met another warrior named Trinity (played by Carrie-Anne Moss), and they fell in love. Neo and Trinity are soul mates and the biggest love of each other’s life. Their biggest nemesis was Agent Smith (played by Hugo Weaving), who had the ability to shapeshift and morph into other people or clones of himself. This is an essential detail to have some understanding of “The Matrix Resurrections,” because when Agent Smith’s name is first uttered in the movie and he appears in disguise, viewers need to know why this character is such a big deal.

At the beginning of “The Matrix Reurrections,” which does a lot of time-jumping and traveling between various realities, Neo/Thomas is “retired” from his “saving the universe” legacy. He’s living and working in San Francisco as an award-winning, legendary video game designer at a company he co-founded called Deus Machina, where he works with people who are mostly in their 20s and 30s. Thomas is famous because he designed a blockbuster video game series called “The Matrix” that’s based on his own experiences.

Even though Thomas has achieved the pinnacle of success in this industry, he remains humble and low-key. His ambitious and greedy business partner Smith (played by Jonathan Groff) has coaxed a reluctant Thomas to do a fourth installment of “The Matrix” video game series. Smith mentions that Deus Machina’s parent company is Warner Bros., which is the movie’s way of referencing “The Matrix” movie franchise distributor Warner Bros. Pictures. There’s a self-deprecating “wink wink, nudge nudge” tone to the number of times that “The Matrix Resurrections” refers to this fourth installment (of Thomas’s video game series and this movie) as being a cash grab, until the joke is repeated so many times that it gets very old.

As for business partner Smith, the significance of the name is so obvious, when a big reveal about this character arrives, it’s actually no big surprise. (This reveal is already in one of the movie’s trailers.) He’s slick and has some high-octane fight scenes, but he’s not a particularly interesting adversary when he gets into conflicts with Thomas/Neo. Much like “The Matrix Resurrections,” Smith in this movie is very superficial and flashy with not much substance.

Thomas/Neo has been having nightmares or hallucinations, so he’s in therapy. And if he seems like a heartbroken loner, that’s because he is. He’s still pining for Trinity. But he’ll get his chance to reunite with her, because that’s essentially the main goal in this muddled film that takes too long (two hours and 28 minutes) to tell a story that could’ve been told in two hours or less.

Whenever “The Matrix Resurrections” gets stuck in a plot rut (and it happens a lot), it shows Thomas waking up from a “hallucination,” and he’s in the therapist office of his unnamed analyst (played by Neil Patrick Harris), who seems to know everything about Thomas. There’s a scene in the movie where Thomas/Neo looks in a mirror and finds out that his physical appearance is not what he thinks it is: He looks like an elderly man (played by Steven Roy) to many people.

The movie keeps people guessing on what’s reality and what’s not reality for Thomas/Neo, until it reaches a point when a lot of viewers won’t care much anymore. “The Matrix Resurrections” has too many gimmicks that are meant to deliberately confuse viewers. After a while, all these gimmicks are a turnoff. A big reveal toward the end the movie is not surprising because the movie telegraphs it many times.

Thomas’ identity as Neo has long been dormant, because most people think Neo is dead. However, a young computer hacker named Bugs (played by Jessica Henwick) has discovered that Neo is alive and well. In flashbacks, Bugs tells people how she found out: She works as a skyscraper window washer and saw Neo disguised as another man as he was about to jump off a nearby high-rise building. Bugs saw Neo jump off of the building and survive, so Bugs has been on a quest to find Neo ever since.

Of course, in a movie like “The Matrix Resurrections,” Bugs is no ordinary window washer/computer hacker. She has combat skills on the level of a super-soldier in a video game. Bugs has a computer hacking sidekick named Sequoia (played by Toby Onwumere), who’s mostly a virtual reality operator telling her what’s going on in alternate realities. Don’t expect a logical explanation for many of the identities of the new characters introduced in “The Matrix Resurrections.” It just seems like the filmmakers just made up things as they went along.

Bugs finds Neo, of course, and she takes it upon herself to be his “protector” when things go awry. Another person who finds Neo is the young-man version of Morpheus (played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), who predictably brings out that red pill and blue pill again for Neo to choose which path Neo’s life will take. However, anyone who’s seen any of the previous “Matrix” movies knows that Neo’s life was pre-ordained anyway.

One day, Thomas/Neo is hanging out at a coffee shop with a Deus Machina co-worker named Jude Gallagher (played by Andrew Lewis Caldwell), when Thomas/Neo sees Trinity, and Jude notices that Thomas/Neo seems attracted to her. However, Thomas/Neo pretends to Jude that he’s never met Trinity before. Thomas/Neo is too shy to approach her, so Jude (who tells Thomas/Neo that he thinks she’s a “MILF”) approaches Trinity on behalf of Thomas/Neo and makes the introduction.

Thomas/Neo is dismayed to find out that Trinity’s memory appears to have been blocked or erased, because she doesn’t know him when he starts talking to her. She’s now living as a woman named Tiffany, who builds and repairs motorcycles for a living. She’s also married to a guy named Chad (played by “John Wick” series director Chad Stahelski) and they have three underage kids together. At the coffee shop, Neo briefly meets Chad and two of the kids.

Later in the movie, Thomas/Neo and Trinity/Tiffany meet again at the same coffee shop, where she tells him that she thinks that she looks like Trinity in “The Matrix” video games. Trinity/Tiffany also says that when she mentioned the physical resemblance to her husband, he just laughed at her. It’s the first sign that Trinity/Tiffany might have a glimmer of recognition that maybe she had another life with Neo that has long been buried.

It’s enough to convince Neo to want to save Trinity from her blocked memory and get her back in his life. Along the way, he gets in numerous fights with people, creatures and machines that want to stop him in this quest. Bugs and Morpheus are also in most of these fight scenes with Neo. Also along for the ride to help Neo are young, good-looking combat warriors Lexy (played by Eréndira Ibarra) and Berg (played by Brian J. Smith), who look like they came from a modeling agency assembly line.

If you don’t know the purpose of Agents and Sentinels in the “Matrix” movies, then skip “The Matrix Resurrections.” If you have no idea who Niobe (played by Jada Pinkett Smith) and Sati (played as an adult by Priyanka Chopra Jonas) are and why they’re important to “The Matrix” saga, then skip “The Matrix Resurrections.” If you don’t care about the differences between the battle ships Nebuchadnezzar, the Hammer, and the Logos, then skip “The Matrix Resurrections.”

Simply put: “The Matrix Resurrections” can be extremely alienating to anyone who isn’t a die-hard, obsessive “Matrix” fan. Sometimes, people just want to turn their brain off and watch an action-filled sci-fi movie. But most viewers don’t want to watch a movie sequel where their brains have to work overtime trying to figure out what’s going on and who certain characters are. And some of the characters didn’t need to be in the movie at all, such as Deus Machina executive Gwyn de Vere (played by Christina Ricci), which is a small, inconsequential role that’s a waste of Ricci’s talent.

If viewers get confused over what’s going in “The Matrix Resurrections,” it’s because “The Matrix Resurrections” filmmakers made the arrogant assumption that everyone watching should have seen all the previous “Matrix” movies. Therefore, a lot of “inside jokes” in “The Matrix Resurrections” are not as impactful as they could’ve been if the previous three “Matrix” movies had been better explained in “The Matrix Resurrections.” However, the screenplay and editing still make the movie very difficult to follow for people who’ve seen the previous “Matrix” movies but have hazy memories about them.

In between the action scenes of “The Matrix Resurrections” are characters standing around or sitting in meetings that are quite boring. A great deal of what they discuss is shared history that will be meaningless to viewers who don’t know anything about this shared history because they haven’t seen the previous “Matrix” movies. It’s like going to a class reunion when you never even went to the school.

Although the visual effects and stunts are the best things of “The Matrix Resurrections,” they’re not enough to make the movie feel like a relatable human saga. All of the acting is mediocre or just plain awful. The dialogue isn’t much better.

The movie’s attempts at comedy usually fall flat, including the silly and useless end-credits scene. Throughout the movie, Reeves seems like he’s sleepwalking through some of his lines of dialogue. That’s not what you want for a protagonist in what’s supposed to be a high-energy action flick.

“The Matrix Resurrections” seems so enamored with its parade of sci-fi and technological tricks, it fails to bring enough in the story that will make viewers feel connected to the characters in a relatable way. Unfortunately, “The Matrix Resurrections” leaves new viewers of the franchise in the dark about essential, interpersonal histories about many of the characters. Other viewers who know all about familiar “Matrix” characters before seeing “The Matrix Resurrections” might still end up feeling disconnected and disappointed that they haven’t learned anything fascinating at all.

Warner Bros. Pictures released “The Matrix Resurrections” in U.S. cinemas and on HBO Max on December 22, 2021.

Review: ‘A Glitch in the Matrix,’ starring Paul Gude, Alex LeVine, Nick Bostrom, Jesse Orion, Emily Pothast, Brother Laeo Mystwood and Chris Ware

February 12, 2021

by Carla Hay

“A Glitch in the Matrix”

Directed by Rodney Ascher

Culture Representation: The documentary “A Glitch in the Matrix” features a group of people (almost all white males, with one white woman and one African American man) of video game addicts, journalists and academics discussing the concept that life on Earth could be a virtual simulation, not the reality that people think it is.

Culture Clash: Different ways of looking at and defining reality are explored, including how video games influence people’s thoughts.

Culture Audience: “A Glitch in the Matrix” will appeal primarily to people who want to listen to ramblings from several people who admit they’re addicted to video games or some other form of virtual reality.

In the Oscar-winning 1999 sci-fi film “The Matrix,” Carrie-Anne Moss’ Trinity character tells Keanu Reeves’ Neo character that his feeling of déjà vu is “a glitch in the matrix.” It’s meant to explain a mistake in the matrix world where the movie’s characters live in a simulated reality. The documentary “A Glitch in the Matrix” talks to several people who are open to believe or actually believe the idea that the world as we know it is not “real” but is actually a simulation controlled by unknown and unseen forces.

If you want to listen to self-admitted geeks drone on and on about this concept, then by all means, waste your time and watch “A Glitch in the Matrix,” which adds nothing new or interesting to this debate. The movie is also very poorly researched. “A Glitch in the Matrix,” which had its world premiere at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, spent more time gathering a variety of film clips than interviewing a variety of people.

Directed by Rodney Ascher, “A Glitch in the Matrix” is truly a case of style of over substance. It cobbles together a lot of clips from sci-fi flicks, edits them together with some animation, and tries to dazzle the viewer into thinking that movie is going to be a cutting-edge documentary. It’s not.

It’s really just a movie that gives a platform to several self-described video game addicts, who ramble on about how they sometimes have a hard time comprehending what’s reality and what is not. The only facts that this documentary really puts forth are that people can get addicted to video games and those with possible mental health issues can actually start to feel like they’re living in a video game. This problem of video game addiction has been common knowledge for decades, but the filmmakers of “A Glitch in the Matrix” try to make this documentary look as if it’s revealing insightful information. Perhaps they’re living in another reality if they think this lazy film is nothing more than a cash grab to appeal to gamers and other people interested in virtual worlds.

Some of the people interviewed in the documentary don’t even want to show their real faces. Instead, their video game avatars are shown on screen as they talk. These self-confessed video game addicts are:

Paul Gude, who appears with a creepy red mask surrounded by a ruby-like orb and wearing a samurai warrior outfit.
Brother Laeo Mystwood, who appears with an Anibus head and is decked out mostly in purple.
Alex LeVine, who appears as a shaman-like robot with an emoji face and a brain suspended in liquid
Jesse Orion, who appears as a space alien in an astronaut suit.

They all look like they’re auditioning to be a new character in a “Mortal Kombat” reboot game. And, clearly, all of them have “issues.” Orion describes himself as a video game addict who feels alienated from the world.

Gude says that when he was a student at the University of Missouri in Columbia in the early 1990s, he first became fascinated with the idea that the human brain is a computer that can be hacked into and manipulated. And he comments that he started to feel like his life was really a simulation when, as a child, he moved from Pontiac, Illinois, to the much smaller city of Dorsey, Illinois. He remembers being somewhat freaked out by things such as going to a shopping mall and seeing hardly any people there. He also thinks people are “chemical robots.”

Mystwood (which is obviously not his real name, but maybe it’s his name in the fantasy world he seems to have in his head) talks about having a religious upbringing that he thinks did some damage to his psyche. (Gude, who is the son of a pastor, describes a similar effect that religion had on him.) Mystwood also says that he got a clearer understanding of “alternate reality” when he experienced going into a sensory deprivation tank. Mystwood describes how his head started to pound and he had an out-of-body experience.

And he then came to this conclusion after going through the experience of the sensory deprivation tank: “I am a code … Nothing on me or anyone is real.” The documentary irresponsibly doesn’t include scientific information on how sensory deprivation can cause hallucinations similar to someone taking a psychedelic drug.

Speaking of psychedelics, what the filmmakers fail to ask in this documentary when people spew all of these paranoid theories is, “How often have you taken psychedelic drugs?” Because a lot of their ranting about discovering “alternate realities” just sounds like people who maybe took LSD or other psychedelics too many times. And a few of them sound like they’re in serious need of psychiatric evaluations.

Billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk is mentioned as somewhat of a hero to people who think that we live in a simulation, because Musk has publicly expressed this theory too. What the documentary doesn’t mention is Musk’s self-admitted drug use. It seems irresponsible for this documentary to not mention the possibility that drug-fueled hallucinations could be behind many of the theories about simulation that some people believe as gospel.

The closest that anyone will admit that being under the influence of substances (legal or illegal) has a lot to do with how they think about reality is when LeVine describes going on a drunken joyride in Mexico with some friends when he was younger. Everyone in the car, including the driver, was very drunk from alcohol and maybe who knows what other substances that LeVine (a Harvard-educated engineer) might not wanted to admit to on camera. After driving the wrong way on a freeway and narrowly missing a head-on collision, the car eventually flipped over and crashed by itself. The car was completely wrecked.

Luckily, no one was killed or seriously injured. LeVine describes having an out-of-body experience and remembers someone carrying him away from the corrupt federales who were going to demand money from these Americans to not arrest them. LeVine says the fact that no one got killed in this serious car crash was a sign that some other forces were at play.

Actually, it’s not unusual for intoxicated people in a car crash to suffer less injuries than people in the crash who were sober. There are many cases of drunk drivers who killed other people in an automobile crash, but the drunk drivers survived with minor injuries. There’s plenty of information available with the statistics.

Medical experts believe that intoxicated people in a car crash have a better chance of surviving and getting less injured, compared to sober people, because intoxicated people’s reactions and reflexes are slower while under the influence of alcohol or another substance. But course, the filmmakers never both to include this medical/scientific information. In fact, they don’t question or try to debunk any of the hallucinatory stories that are in this movie.

The production notes for “A Glitch in the Matrix” describe the documentary interviewees who believe in simulation theory as “eyewitnesses.” LeVine also mentions that he has Crohn’s disease, which is an odd thing to bring up, because the inner workings of his bowels have nothing to do with what this documentary is all about. That’s an example of some of the irrelevant information in this movie, which was in serious need of better editing and sensible research.

“A Glitch in the Matrix” interviews a few journalists and academics (who appear on camera as their real selves), but they just repeat things that they’ve already written about in essays, books or articles that they wrote years ago. In the documentary’s production notes, these talking heads are listed as people providing “expert testimony.” Among those interviewed is writer Erik Davis, author of the 1998 book “Techgnosis: Myth, Magic and Mysticism in the Age of Information.”

There’s also Nick Bostrom, an Oxford University professor who wrote the 2003 article “Are You Living in a Computer Simulation?” for Philosophical Quarterly, while he was doing post-doctoral work at Yale University. He believes that there are three possibilities when it comes to simulation disguised as reality: (1) There was extinction before simulation; (2) Simulation technology was abandoned and there are only assets to simulation; (3) Simulation is “real.”

American cartoonist Chris Ware gives a useless interview where he comments on the illustration that he did for The New Yorker’s issue that was dated June 12, 2015. The cover features two girls looking at computers in their bedroom. Ware says that the video game Minecraft inspired the drawing.

Ware also has this to say about Minecraft: “Every time I play it with my daughter, I feel like we’re dead and we’re flying around the world. It’s the only experience that closely approximates what … a disembodied conscience might experience.”

Again. Are these people on drugs? These are the so-called “experts” in this movie.

Also interviewed is Emily Pothast, who wrote a 2019 article on Medium called “The (Deep) Dream of Motivated Reasoning Produces Monsters,” which gives an analysis of how people can be radicalized if they believe that their reality is different from what’s presented by the media. She is the only woman interviewed in this documentary, and she’s the only person in the movie who gives an intelligent cultural context of what can happen when people start to think that their reality is not what most other people think is reality.

Pothast comments, “I do think there’s an inability to separate the real world from digital realities, when you have the [2019 mosque mass-murder] shooter in [Christchurch] New Zealand, livestreaming what he’s doing … and going after people who are Muslims. Or people shooting up synagogues going after people who are constructed as ‘other’ by the media that [these shooters] consume.”

The New Zealand shooter was a white supremacist who appeared to be addicted to social media, such as Facebook, instead of video games. “A Glitch in the Matrix” doesn’t mention that New Zealand subsequently banned video games that were eerily similar to the mosque shootings. And there’s no discussion in this documentary on how substance abuse and/or mental illness play roles in people disconnecting from reality.

The documentary also takes a glib approach when mentioning the 2018 incident of Horizon Air employee Richard Russell stealing a Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 plane, with no passengers, from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and doing dangerous tricks in the air. Russell died when he intentionally crashed the plane on Ketron Island in Puget Sound. During his communication with aircraft control, Russell (who did not have a pilot’s license) said he learned how to fly planes by playing video games. The people in the documentary, such as Orion, who comment on this tragic incident seem to be more impressed with how video games influenced this deadly stunt than caring about what led Russell to commit such a desperate act.

“A Glitch in the Matrix” also shows a clear bias in preference of white men, because all but two people interviewed in the movie fit that description. In addition to Pothast, the only other person interviewed in this documentary who is not a white man is Joshua Cooke, an African American man who was convicted of the 2003 shooting murders of his adoptive parents in Oakton, Virginia. Cooke was 19 when he committed the crime and was sentenced to 40 years in prison. He says that he was addicted to “The Matrix” movie and violent video games, and he says that he lost touch with reality. In court, he pled guilty instead of pleading not guilty by reason of insanity.

Cooke was so obsessed with “The Matrix” that he dressed like the movie’s Neo character and bought a gun that’s similar to the one that Neo uses in the movie. Cooke does not appear on camera in “A Glitch in the Matrix,” but his comments are heard in audio voiceover from interviews that the filmmakers did with him from prison. Cooke’s story is included in the documentary’s long segment about the huge influence that “The Matrix” movies (especially the first one in the series) have had on people who believe that life is a simulation. Cooke vividly describes how “The Matrix” took over his life and spilled over into murdering the people he thought were the “enemy.”

What the documentary didn’t mention is that there was a history of mental illness with Cooke’s biological parents: His biological mother was schizophrenic, and his father was bipolar. There are no mental health experts interviewed in this documentary about people who believe that the world we live in isn’t real. That gives you an idea of how careless this documentary is.

“A Glitch in the Matrix” strangely and selectively mentions Cooke and Lee Boyd Malvo (also known as one of the DC Sniper serial killers) as the only two examples of people whose obsession with “The Matrix” and violent video games turned into homicide. Everyone knows that black people are not the vast majority of those who commit mass murders or serial killings of this type. And yet, “A Glitch in the Matrix” filmmakers show an appalling racist bias by only singling out black people as examples of those who’ve committed these violent crimes.

The movie gives a lot of screen time to archival footage of a 1977 speaking appearance given by sci-fi author Philip K. Dick, who’s cited as another major influence to people who believe that life is a simulation. Several of Dick’s novels and short stories have been adapted into movies, including 1982’s “Blade Runner,” 1990’s “Total Recall,” 2002’s “Minority Report” and 2011’s “The Adjustment Bureau.” The Amazon Prime Video series “The Man in the High Castle” was also based on one of his books.

“A Glitch in the Matrix” includes clips from several movies, such as “The Matrix,” “Total Recall,” “Minority Report,” 1997’s “Starship Troopers,” 1998’s “The Truman Show,” and 2009’s “Avatar.” All of these films have some version of the theme that humans are not as in control of their lives as they think they are because there are outside forces really in control or trying to invade humanity. The documentary also has several eye-catching animation clips, most notably Robert Crumb’s “Plato’s The Cave.”

“A Glitch in the Matrix” spends a lot of time discussing that people who believe that the world is really simulated are those who are usually addicted to video games. And yet, the filmmakers failed to include the perspectives of any video game developers or people who market video games. It’s a glaring oversight that shows how sloppily made and superficial this documentary is.

Some of the movie’s pace tends to drag because the rambling interviews get very boring after a while. The filmmakers also don’t confront a fact which seems pretty obvious from watching the type of people who get hooked on video games: These people have way too much time on their hands, which speaks to larger issues. There’s a certain amount of privilege that someone has to have to be able to spend all that time and money on video games.

“A Glitch in the Matrix” does a woefully inadequate job of addressing these socioeconomic issues. It’s a lot easier to want to escape into a video game world of shootouts and other mayhem if you don’t live in a gang-infested area or a war-torn environment. If any of these video game addicts who think the world isn’t real were taken out of the comfort of their homes and put in an actual war zone, they’d see how “real” the world is.

“A Glitch in the Matrix” doesn’t want to discuss how issues about mental health, substance abuse and socioeconomic status are major factors that link video game addiction to believing that the world isn’t real. The filmmakers just want to present a bright, shiny bubble of a documentary where the perspectives of people in one racial and gender demographic are given more importance over anyone else. And that lack of diversity is anything but what the real world looks like.

Magnolia Pictures released “A Glitch in the Matrix” in select U.S. cinemas and on digital and VOD on February 5, 2021.