As if existence in this mortal realm wasn’t stressful enough, the trailer for Magnolia Pictures documentaryA Glitch in the Matrixwill ask us, “What if this is all a simulation?” That’s right,A Glitch in the Matrixsincerely ponders and investigates the possibility we are actually, currently living in a kind of computer simulation similar to the one that is foundational toThe Matrixtrilogy. Look, I often want to be likeKeanu Reeves, but this is one time where I really hope we are nothing alike.
A Glitch in the Matrixis directed byRodney Ascher, previously and best known for similarly inventive and trippy docsRoom 237andThe Nightmare. Ascher is now giving us the chance to choose the red pill or the blue pill (if you know, you know) withA Glitch in the Matrix. The trailer highlights the broad strokes of his new film: To explore all of the commentary around various theories which generally suggest we are living in a computer simulation and are being controlled by far more advanced and omnipotent beings. It’s an idea that science fiction has propagated for decades, withThe Matrixtrilogy being perhaps the best example of the idea writ large and in bold. The trailer promises plenty of testimony from people who claim to have insight into this matter, including the truth about what matter we’re made of. So, there’s only one thing left to ask: Are you ready to take a trip into the matrix?
A Glitch in the Matrixwill premiere at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival in the Midnight Section line-up. After Sundance,A Glitch in the Matrixwill be in theaters and on demand on July 20, 2025. Watch the official trailer below. Before you go, learn more about the2021 Sundance Film Festival line-up.
Here is the official synopsis and poster forA Glitch in the Matrix:
What if we are living in a simulation, and the world as we know it is not real? To tackle this mind-bending idea, acclaimed filmmaker Rodney Ascher (‘Room 237,’ ‘The Nightmare’) uses a noted speech from Philip K. Dick to dive down the rabbit hole of science, philosophy, and conspiracy theory. Leaving no stone unturned in exploring the unprovable, the film uses contemporary cultural touchstones like ‘The Matrix,’ interviews with real people shrouded in digital avatars, and a wide array of voices, expert and amateur alike. If simulation theory is not science fiction but fact, and life is a video game being played by some unknowable entity, then who are we, really? ‘A Glitch in the Matrix’ attempts to find out.
