Script potential of The Matrix estimated from its PLOT structure is 177 – 217MM
Plot structure will appeal to 12.52 – 15.30% of the population
Mythosis uses 4 mythological tales to enhance the plot structure appeal by an additional 25%
The Matrix is a 1999 sci-fi movie where the machines have created an illusion to enslave human beings. The story weaves together a futuristic realm with universal human quests, creating a captivating fusion of familiarity and innovation.
Mythological tales reveal the invisible Plot Structure of The Matrix
Stories are an interweaving of quests, each representing a fundamental human desire. These desires echo across time and cultures, finding their universal counterparts in mythological tales.
97% of the events in the story is borrowed from the four mythological tales. There are 4 prominent characters in the movie each driven by distinct desires.
Neo’s quest mirrors the tale of Krishn from Hindu mythology, where both are driven by the desire for fairness and justice. Krishn was extracted from Kan’s prison and goes back to overthrow Kans. Neo was extracted from The Matrix and goes back to overthrow the machines.
Agent Smith's quest mirrors the tale of Ravan from Hindu mythology, where both are driven by the desire to dominate others. Ravan hides Sita in Lanka after abducting her but Ram travels to Lanka and defeats Ravan. Agent Smith abducts Morpheus but Neo goes into The Matrix to free Morpheus and defeat the Agents.
Trinity's quest mirrors the tale of Hanuman from Hindu mythology, where both are driven by the desire to be loyal to a clan or order. Trinity revives Neo after the Agents kill him. Hanuman revives Ram’s brother, Laxman in the war with Ravan.
Morpheus’ quest mirrors the tale of Dron from Hindu mythology, where both are driven by the desire to confront offenders. Dron finds his avenger in Arjun and trains him to take on his arch-rival Dhrupad. Morpheus find Neo and trains him to defeat the machines.
Detailed mirroring of each character to their respective mythological tales is in section “Unlocking the Ideal Plot Structure”
Blockbusters differ from Flops in the way they borrow from mythological tales
Blockbuster stories consistently defy the norms of conventional plot structures. The analysis of Blockbuster, Hit & Flop plot structures across decades and genres has uncovered an optimal method for incorporating mythological tales into storytelling. The Mythosis Code for creating blockbuster plot structures has the following principles -
Every blockbuster plot structure borrows events from at least three mythological tales.
Blockbuster characters are complex and consistent. Each character in the story is reflects events from a single mythological tale, and the degree of mirroring is approximately 35%.
Blockbusters create a cohesive plot structure by intricately weaving the multiple tales. Characters are woven with each other through their quests and not merely by relationships. Quests become interconnected when events from two mythological tales occur simultaneously within the story.
Mythosis Code evaluation of The Matrix’s Plot structure
The Matrix’ plot structure borrows from four mythological tales.
Each character uniquely mirrors a single tale which makes them consistent.
Neo borrows 36% of the events from Krishn’s quest. Agent Smith borrows 52% of the events from Ravan’s quest. Trinity borrows 10% of the events from Hanuman’s quest. Morpheus borrows 24% of the events from Dron’s quest.
Blockbusters have a quest interweaving threshold of 0.50. Neo’s quest is interwoven with the quests of Morpheus & Agent Smith. The quests of Morpheus & Agent Smith are also interwoven. Trinity’s quest isn’t interwoven with anyone. The Matrix’s quest interweaving score of 0.5 is at par. Here is an example of interweaving the quests of Neo & Agent Smith:
Estimated potential of The Matrix’s Plot Structure
Each one of us is driven by at least one desire, which is why specific mythological tales resonate with us. When a story interweaves more tales, it broadens the story’s appeal to a wider audience. However, to realize the power of multiple quests, the quests must have sufficient depth and they should be interwoven. The Matrix’s plot structure satisfies every principle except “depth of quests” – only the characters of Neo & Agent Smith surpass the threshold of 35%.
We have created an algorithm by assigning weights to the four principles of The Mythosis Code. The algorithm calculates the potency of a story’s plot structure and estimates its corresponding audience appeal. Blockbuster plot structures have a score of at least 0.64 and appeal to 20% of the audiences.
The Matrix’s plot structure has a score of 0.43. The Matrix will appeal to 12.52 – 15.30% of the population. Our estimate of the movie’s revenues from its audience appeal is $177 – 217MM in the domestic market. The lifetime earning of the movie is $174MM.
Unlocking the Ideal Plot Structure of The Matrix
We have identified 32 universal quests that represent every human desire. These quests are the superset of thousands of stories across cultures that reflect our collective subconscious. Each quest has a structured sequence of events divided into 5 major arcs.
We map a character’s quest to the relevant mythological tale (universal quest) which reveals the gaps in their quest, if any. The ideal Plot Structure is constructed by plugging these gaps with the missing events from the tale. These events strengthen each character’s journey and weaving of quests without altering the story.
Extraction of each character quest
Quest 1: Neo mirrors the universal quest for Idealism
Neo’s desire for Idealism stems from the need for fairness & justice. The tale of Krishn from Hindu mythology is the universal quest for Idealism.
Quest 2: Agent Smith mirrors the universal quest for Power
Agent Smith’s desire for Power stems from the need to dominate others. The tale of Ravan from Hindu mythology is the universal quest for Power.
Quest 3: Trinity mirrors the universal quest for Honour
Trinity’s desire for Honour stems from the need for loyalty to a clan or order. The tale of Hanuman from Hindu mythology is the universal quest for Honour.
Quest 4: Morpheus mirrors the universal quest for Vengeance
Morpheus’ desire for Vengeance stems from the need to confront and punish offenders. The tale of Dron from Hindu mythology is the universal quest for Vengeance.
Ideal Plot structure reconstruction
The ideal plot structure borrows additional events from the tale of Krishn to deepen the quest of Neo without altering the current story construct. These events enhance the plot structure score from 0.43 to 0.53 which increases the movie’s revenues by ~25% in the domestic market.
Tags:1999, Character Arcs, Dron, Hanuman, Honour, Idealism, Krishn, Mythology, Power, Ravan, Screenwriting, Story plot, storytelling, The Wachowskis, Vengeance, Village Roadshow Pictures, Warner Bros.
