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The Matrix 4 wrap party reportedly skirts Germany's COVID laws by pretending to be a film shoot. The blockbuster original Matrix film was released way back in 1999, spawning a pair of Matrix sequels that received many negative reviews from fans and critics and performed poorly at the box office.

Maybe it was the bad reviews and maybe it was the poor box office, but something caused The Matrix to unplug for nearly 20 years. But now the groundbreaking sci-fi franchise is set to return with Lana Wachowski taking on solo directing duties and stars Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss returning. Unfortunately, The Matrix 4 came up against the reality of COVID in 2020, and was forced to delay filming for a time before finally being able to resume in Germany.

Obviously any film production currently underway is having to operate under less-than-normal conditions, as countries impose COVID-related restrictions on all industries. But it seems Matrix 4 was less than compliant with German law as it’s been alleged the production staged a wrap party that skirted COVID rules by disguising itself as a film shoot. As German tabloid Bild reports (via The Guardian), around 200 people attended the party by pretending to be extras (the law allows just 50 people to congregate at one time). One guest described the party’s “exuberant” mood and claimed many people came wearing masks but discarded them as the night wore on. The guest confirmed that no filming took place during the alleged shoot.

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It seems it was indeed a wild party, as The Guardian reports there was a dancer, a DJ and pyrotechnics (this sounds like something from the infamous Matrix Reloaded rave scene). The menu included everything from sushi to sake to vegan chocolate apricot cake, and there were also tents set up for guests who wanted to have a more private experience. Star Reeves did reportedly attend the party with partner Alexandra Grant but the pair evidently left early. A spokesperson for the Babelsburg studio where the party took place claimed the event was indeed being shot as part of the movie, claiming it was connected to a celebration scene shot during the summer.

If it’s true that the movie did skirt German laws merely for the sake of a wrap party, then that’s a pretty bad look for Wachowski and everyone involved. Indeed, the hope is that the movie industry will take more of a leadership position when it comes to encouraging mask use and other smart practices amid the ongoing pandemic. Celebrities in fact have been very out front in asking people to mask up, practice social distancing and generally behave in a way that will help slow the spread of COVID. Whenever a story like this one arises, the entire industry is naturally opened up to accusations of hypocrisy from those who seek to gain political advantage from depicting Hollywood as elitist and phony. Hopefully, the allegations against The Matrix 4 will prove to be unfounded.

The Matrix 4 (2021)
Release Date: Dec 22, 2021