The Matrix is one of the most acclaimed projects in the sci-fi genre, directed by the Wachowskis. Its groundbreaking visual effects and iconic action sequences contributed to its mega success. However, this movie gives a different feel thanks to its fusion of Western and Eastern fighting styles, skillfully choreographed by Hong Kong martial arts choreographer Yuen Woo-ping.
Known for his work in the Hong Kong martial arts cinema, he never actively pursued opportunities to work in Hollywood. Given that he was offered to work on The Matrix, he requested a strict condition that would be required to be fulfilled only to convince him to become involved in the project. The filmmakers ultimately agreed to his condition.
Woo-Ping Yuen Wanted to Take Control of The Matrix‘s Action Scenes
The success of the 1999 movie spawned a whole franchise featuring Keanu Reeves in the lead role of Neo. Since the movie required the actors to perform innovative action sequences, the director of The Matrix, the Wachowskis wanted renowned martial arts choreographer, Yuen Woo-ping to work on the action scenes.
As per The Screened, the Wachowskis have long been a fan of Hong Kong cinema, which is how they hired Yuen for the project. However, he was not much interested in working in Hollywood until then.
The X account, All the Right Movies shared a thread to celebrate its release 25 years ago where it claimed that the martial arts director asked for a huge salary. Since the filmmakers only had eyes on him, they agreed with his demand.
Check the tweet here.
As choreographer, the Wachowskis wanted Woo-Ping Yuen. He wasn’t interested and asked for a huge fee, which they accepted. So he said he’d only do it if he had total control of the fights, and could train the actors for 4 months. The Wachowskis agreed to that too.
28/44 pic.twitter.com/t9XULkOPOJ
— All The Right Movies (@ATRightMovies) March 31, 2024
Not only that, but he also demanded to take control of the action sequences, insisting on training the major cast members.
In a 2019 interview via Today.Line, he shared,
“What happened then was that one of the producers of The Matrix contacted Shaw Brothers to find me. They seemed to want me to go to Hollywood really badly, but I still didn’t want to go.”
He continued,
“Then Shaw Brothers (studio) told me that the producer was offering me a free ticket to Los Angeles, and all I had to do was turn up there and have a chat and that I should go, as it would be the polite thing to do.”
Initially, he was uninterested in working on the project but their pitch eventually aroused his interest. Integrating “kung fu with special effects, to combine a sci-fi movie with a kung fu movie” felt innovative to him, who eventually decided to give it a try.
Woo-Ping Yuen Trained Major Cast Members of The Matrix in Kung Fu
As the filmmakers agreed on his demand to take control of the action sequences in the movie, he decided to train cast members, particularly, Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Laurence Fishburne, and Hugo Weaving in Kung Fu before the production.
While Hong Kong actors had a basic gist of martial arts, requiring a little touch-up, Hollywood actors needed to be trained from scratch. The outlet noted that he trained the cast in a warehouse in Hollywood for four months which included planning out some of the action scenes for the movie.
Reeves shared with Kung Fu Magazine via Today.Line,
“Woo-ping can teach us so many things, but he does also want to see your style. I’ve been trying to incorporate some of the stunt guys’ stuff and create my own style. Woo-ping doesn’t just put it on you, it’s very organic and collaborative.”
Actors were intensively trained for months and even performed sequences with the physical wire work techniques involving “suspending a performer on a wire to give the effect of flying” that is used in Hong Kong.
Their efforts gave impressive results, with the movie gaining widespread acclaim from critics and viewers alike. It grossed over $460 million on a $63 million budget, becoming the highest-grossing Warner Bros. film that year.
The Matrix is available on Max.
