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Reel Chicago is a daily digital magazine that covers the news in Chicago on all aspects of advertising, film, TV, media and production. The content is original, written by industry experts and contributing Op Eds
We are only a couple of weeks away from the opening of the fourth, and long-awaited chapter, to The Matrix, the groundbreaking 1999 film that redefined a genre. That trilogy came from the visionary minds of Chicago-born writer/directors Lilly and Lana Wachowski. Now, Lana is out on her own as she brings The Matrix: Resurrections … Continue reading “Lana Wachowski explains why now is the right time to return to The Matrix”
Legendary blockbuster film writer/director Lana Wachowski, who rarely if ever makes a public appearance in Chicago, will actually be front and center on the stage of what is expected to be a full house at the Music Box Theatre, Sunday, Nov. 8.
Before COVID-19 shut down production last March, Chicago-born director Lana Wachowski was deep into filming the fourth, the first of a new trilogy, Matrix film for Warner Bros. Since then, the Keanu Reeves-Carrie Anne-Moss sci-fi pic has resumed production in Belgium. Sister Lilly, who identified as trans along with her sister after the films came … Continue reading “Wachowski says ‘Matrix’ is transgender allegory”
Like other big budget productions, The Matrix 4, directed by Lana Wachowski, has shut down until the current Coronavirus pandemic has cleared enough for studios to feel safe to go back into production. That day seems like it will come sooner rather than later as sister outlet Reel 360 reports California will reopen for film production this Friday, June 12. … Continue reading “Lilly Wachowski admits “rage” inspired ‘Matrix’”
Like other big budget productions, The Matrix 4, directed by Lana Wachowski, has shut down until the current Coronavirus pandemic has cleared enough for studios to feel safe to go back into production. The third sequel to 1999’s original blockbuster was co-directed by Wachowski and her sister Lilly. Lilly is not returning to the co-director’s chair … Continue reading “Lilly Wachowski on why she left Hollywood”
NETFLIX’ “SENSE8” sci-fi series has returned to Cinespace, setting up offices there for filming scenes here June 4-14 for Season 2. The series is written and executive produced by what have become the Wachowski sisters, Lana and Lily, and J. Michael Stracznski.
The story is about eight strangers around the globe who are connected through shared visions and thoughts. Stracznski said at a recent press tour that the fan response for the show has been overwhelming.
OUT OF THIS WORLD NEWS. The Wachowskis’ Netflix sci-fi series, Sense8, that filmed at Cinespace last summer, has been renewed for a second season, “thanks to fan response that’s been overwhelming,” said drama co-creator and writer
Three years ago this July, Lana and Andy Wachowski opened their top secret Ravenswood Kinowerks production and effects studio in Ravenswood for a first-time charitable tour of their $6.8 million sustainably designed and furnished building.
Andy and Lana Wachowski’s first-ever TV series will start a production roll of three new TV series filming here this summer and fall, making up for the parched spell of TV shows the first half of 2014, especially when compared with 2013’s pilot and series bonanza.
Just six weeks ahead of its scheduled July 16 release, Andy and Lana Wachowski postponed the opening of their sci-fi epic, “Jupiter Ascending,” eight months hence to Feb. 6, 2015.
The reason cited was the need to finish its more than 2,000 special effects shot for the film.
Filmmakers Lana and Andy Wachowski have been on a media blitz lately, popping up in national magazines, local newspapers and radio. What makes this is a huge story in itself is that the Beverly natives are notoriously secretive and rarely if ever give interviews. Even the CIA is envious of the tight security at their CGI Kinowerks studios in Ravenswood.
Leave it to founder/artistic director Michael Kutza and the board and staff of the Chicago and the 48th International Film Festival to elevate the city’s culture level with three weeks’ worth of world films, Oct. 11-25, at AMC River East theatre, 322 E. Illinois.
IF THERE’S ONE THING directors Andy and Lana Wachowski are expert at it’s keeping a tight lid on news about their projects, never publicly speaking about them and thus allowing the rest of us to wallow in rumors and speculation.
Such is the situation with their upcoming Warner Bros. epic, “Jupiter Ascending,” the first time the siblings have written together and their first original sci-fi movie.
WE HEAR that Lana and Andy Wachowski want to make their next big budget, big name, big effects movie in Chicago. Which makes sense since they operate out of their super secret North Side Ravenswood Kinowerks post and effects studio, and Andy has a home here. Their project is “Jupiter Ascending,” the duo’s first major science fiction action franchise screenplay since The Matrix.
New York’s billionaire Mayor Michael Bloomberg recently gave a $6 million grant to Mayor Rahm Emanuel to use for various city programs. One of them is finding ways to create greater energy savings, a top item on Emanuel’s agenda for a greener Chicago.
But when it comes to green buildings, however, few can compare with Lana and Andy Wachowski’s environmentally efficient Ravenswood Kinowerks postproduction and effects studio.
THE SUPER SECRETIVE WACHOWSKIS may be ramping up their next movie, with Huffington Post publisher and politico Ariana Huffington, of all people, involved in it. Photos she posted on Twitter suggest she has a role in their story about the war in Iraq from the POV of a futuristic society.
Since their “The Matrix” triology in 2003, Andy and Lana Wachowski have directed only one movie, last year’s “Speed Racer.” If a new movie is in the works, count on all the special effects coming from their fortress-like high-tech studio at 5645 N. Ravenswood.
THE SUPER SECRETIVE WACHOWSKIS may be ramping up their next movie, with Huffington Post publisher and politico Ariana Huffington, of all people, involved in it. Photos she posted on Twitter suggest she has a role in their story about the war in Iraq from the POV of a futuristic society.
Since their “The Matrix” triology in 2003,
Andy and Lana Wachowski have directed only one movie, last year’s “Speed Racer.” If a new movie is in the works, count on all the special effects coming from their fortress-like high-tech studio at 5645 N. Ravenswood.
The Wachowskis’ new North Side post and special effects studio will give Chicago the Hollywood glitz it has long needed to move it into the foreground of production.
The native South Siders of “The Matrix” fame, will open a high tech facility at 5645 N. Ravenswood in what had been the Ravenswood Studio, a scenic design shop.
The Wachowskis’ new North Side post and special effects studio will give Chicago the Hollywood glitz it has long needed to move it into the foreground of production.
The Wachowskis’ new North Side post and special effects studio will give Chicago the Hollywood glitz it has long needed to move it into the foreground of production.
The native South Siders of “The Matrix” fame, will open a high tech facility at 5645 N. Ravenswood in what had been the Ravenswood Studio, a scenic design shop.
Given the Wachowskis well-known propensity for privacy, little is known about the studio operation, such as the official date of opening, staff size or whether local artists will be hired or all imported from L.A.
That’s all for “The Clusters.” Netflix has canceled drama SENSE8 after two seasons.
The diverse series was created and directed by Chicagoans Lilly and Lana Wachowski (The Matrix, Speed Racer, Jupiter Rising) and filmed in Chicago and at numerous locations around the country and internationally.
“After 23 episodes, 16 cities and 13 countries, the story of the SENSE8 cluster is coming to an end,” said Cindy Holland, VP of Netflix original content.
Human beings are social animals. Personal contact and social interaction with others is simply essential. In opposition, Covid created lock downs, quarantines and generally created a need to rethink how we communicate with each other. Because communicate, we must. Although we all had hopes for 2021, it has pushed, provoked, squished and forced its way upon us … Continue reading “The Best of Reel Chicago interviews in 2021”
Even with cities and their movie theaters cautiously reopening after being shut down for three months, studios are not risking box office failure with their big tentpole films. Just shortly after delaying Wonder Woman 1984 to October 2, comes word that Warner Bros. is halting the 2021 release of the highly-anticipated fourth The Matrix film. … Continue reading “Warner Bros. delays ‘Matrix’ sequel until 2022”
While the three original films – The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions – seemed to conclude the series – Neo and Trinity do die – there has been speculation that the world would return someday. That someday began last August when Warner Bros. officially announced that a fourth Matrix would happen. After … Continue reading “Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss on returning to ‘Matrix’”
When the Wachowskis’ The Matrix premiered in 1999, it gave film audiences some of the most ground-breaking, jaw-dropping action sequences of the time. Who can forget in the opening minutes, Trinity (played by Carrie-Anne Moss) springing into the air, freezing and the camera spinning around her? Even if the subsequent sequels were not as beloved, … Continue reading “‘John Wick’ directors help out with ‘Matrix 4’ stunts”
Cinepocalypse — Chicago’s premiere annual genre festival, produced and presented by the Music Box Theatre — is proud to bring in the New Year with the announcement of Katie Rife as new Senior Programmer of the festival. Rife, a Senior Writer for The A.V. Club who previously helmed the festival’s shorts programming, joins ahead of … Continue reading “Cinepocalypse names Katie Rife new Senior Programmer”
The 12-minute film showcases one of the theatre’s greatest resources, its audience Filmmaker Curtis Matzke shot a lot of interviews while helping to make the Music Box Theatre’s 90th Anniversary tribute video, and in doing so he captured one of the greatest things about the place: its audience. Since opening nearly a hundred years … Continue reading “Inside the Music Box’s 90th Anniversary Video”
A cornucopia of classic genre screenings, premieres, and events to take place at Chicago’s iconic Music Box Theatre. From June 21st through June 28th, a cornucopia of genre screenings and events will take place at the Music Box Theatre for its second annual Cinepocalypse. The film festival grinds together a gory cocktail of … Continue reading “Cinepocalypse fest from June 21 – 28 at Music Box”
Exclusive interview with the cast member of the Netflix’s series premiering today At 12-years-old, one can’t really say Lincoln Square resident Max Jenkins has had a long and storied acting career yet, but he has certainly had an impactful one. The mandolin player in the band “Cowboy Jesus and Sugar Bum” made his … Continue reading “Chicago actor Max Jenkins gets “Lost in Space””
No, this is not a joke. And I will try and get through this article without making one. I will try.
According to multiple sources, popular porn site, xHamster, has approached the Wachowskis with a proposition to fund production of the Chicago-produced series and cult darling, Sense8.
“Transformers” director Michael Bay will return to Chicago later this year to produce the fifth installment of his franchise, he told WGN’s Dean Richards. But that’s only the tip of the iceberg!
Here’s what ReelChicago learned is ahead for our production market in the foreseeable future, all headquartering and filming at Cinespace.
Better late than never, they say. And so six months after its announced July release date, Warner Bros. will release “Jupiter Ascending,” on Feb. 6.
IT ONLY TOOK A MONTH for Colin Costello, a former local agency CD and recent L.A. transplant, to land a big agency job. Walton Isaacson (of which Magic Johnson is a partner), the agency for which he’s been freelancing, jumped him up to senior creative director, on staff, of course, after he executed successful campaigns for the agency’s Lexus and Los Angeles Dodgers accounts.
Chicago will be awash with sci-fi characters heating up the summer scene when three big-budget fantasy films with marquee name actors and an army of crews start shooting here April through October.
The biggest film of the futuristic trio is director Michael Bay’s “Transformers 4,” which is expected to return in June to the city the Decepticons had turned into rubble four years earlier.
October traditionally is the most eventfully-active month of the year as our calendar proves. We will continue to add events as quickly as they announced so, as they say, “stay tuned.”
If rumors are to be believed a new Matrix, helmed by the Wachowskis could be filming in town as early as next year There is a new rumor making the rounds that ComicBookMovie.com caught wind of. If it is to be believed, the once successful Matrix franchise will return to the big screen sooner than … Continue reading “Chatter: Is new ‘Matrix’ filming in Chicago 2020?”
Former DDBer Kristin Barbour will have a homecoming of sorts as she has been named managing director of Camp + King’s new Chicago satellite office, created in part to serve client Energizer. An advertising veteran, Barbour has worked with some of the nation’s most prestigious brands, including McDonald’s, Mars, Kraft and Chevrolet. The San Francisco-based … Continue reading “Barbour to lead Camp + King Chicago”
A trailer for “Jupiter Ascending,” the Wachowskis latest action/adventure sci-fi epic, gives you a mouth-agape look at what is possibly their most jammed-packed visual effects epic out of their 22 films, to date.
TWO NEW SHOWS FOR 20 WEST PRODUCTIONS. According to Scot Thor, SVP/development and production, the Intersport division is going into production into its first MTV program – a docusoap called “South of Heaven.” It follows the beautiful 20something girls who work at the famous “Redneck Restaurant and Bar” (a fan gave it 5 stars: 3 stars for the food and an extra 2 stars for the women) in Lewisville, Texas, near Ft. Worth.
Just as Lana and Andy Wachowski cut their cinematic teeth in the Windy City, 2012 sees another sibling pair shooting for the stars here: Rami and Remsy Atassi.
Both recently graduated Loyola University and are putting the finishing touches on their short film, The Liar, for the 2013 spring festival circuit.
RESOLUTION DIGITAL STUDIOS’ executive producer Mitch Apley joined agency Abelson-Taylor, a longtime client of his, in a new position as Manager of Interactive Production A/V. Apley had been one of Resolution Digital Studio’s first hires when the Show Department opened its production division in 2005. He had supervised a staff of 15.
