Released in theaters on December 22, the film “The Matrix Resurrections” transports viewers through the streets of San Francisco, starting with the opening scene, with a wide shot of the city skyline and the Bay Bridge. . SF Travel was largely inspired by the fourth installment of the famous science fiction saga and is launching a new walking path to guide visitors through the different neighborhoods of San Francisco, from downtown to the Bay, in the footsteps of the hero “Neo”. A visit for all fans of the film, curious to discover the different filming locations.
For Matrix fans: filming locations
At the beginning of the saga, in 1999, The Matrix revolutionized science fiction cinema and reinvented the Hollywood blockbuster with a philosophical scenario and cutting-edge special effects. With “Matrix Resurrections”, produced, written and directed by Lana Wachowskiin which Keanu Reeves et Carrie-Anne Moss resume their roles as Neo ” And ” Trinity ”, Fans can also discover the stunning images of San Francisco that dot this thriller film. Some scenes were in fact shot at the beginning of 2020 in the districts of the Financial District, Chinatown, North Beach, Russian Hill and South of Market (SOMA), while the American premiere of the film took place last December 18 at the famous Castro Theater.
The first stop of the race is the first scene of the trailer, at the intersection of Vallejo Street and Jones Street, in the historic Russian Hill – Vallejo Street Crest. A staircase leads to a dead end, from where you can admire a 360 ° view of the city, with the famous Transamerica Pyramid, the Salesforce Tower and the Bay Bridge as “guest-stars”.
This historic district escaped the great fire following the 1906 earthquake and is known for its traditional houses and architecture. Sometimes you can see the wild Telegraph Hill parrots perched in the trees.
After admiring the view, the walk continues to Taylor Street, then Columbus Avenue, home to the famous City Lights bookshop in North Beach, founded in 1953 by the poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Peter D. Martin, and now the legendary meeting place of the “Beat Generation. “.
At the corner of Columbus Avenue and Kearny Street is the Sentinel Building / Columbus Tower (916 Kearny Street). This iron-shaped building, built in 1907 and covered in white tiles and oxidized copper, straddles the neighborhoods of North Beach, Chinatown and the Financial District. Like Neo in the film, our gaze falls on this historic building, with the Transamerica Pyramid and its 48 floors in the background.
It is therefore time to take a break at Café Zoetrope in Francis Ford Coppola, before having lunch nearby at the House of Nanking (919 Kearny Street), where Neo and Trinity stopped. Opened in 1988 by Peter and Lily Fang, the restaurant is known for its Shanghai-inspired cuisine and its chef who decides the menu for guests. The tour continues along Grant Avenue, in the heart of the largest Chinatown outside of Asia; A little further on, just after the Stock Exchange Tower, is Joe & The Juice café (235 Montgomery Street), transformed for the needs of the film into Neo’s favorite café.
Further north, many scenes were shot on California Street, highlighting some of San Francisco’s oldest buildings, including the Merchants Exchange Building, built in 1904 (465 California Street).
The long visit also passes by the Salesforce Tower (415 Mission Street), the tallest tower in San Francisco, which appears in several scenes that highlight the skyline of the city or from the building that inhabits Neo’s apartment.
Attention fans …
