Few behind-the-scenes stories live up to the intensity of The Matrix, which is why it’s not only one of the best movies of the ‘90s, but the best sci-fi movies of all time. Laurence Fishburne just shared one BTS story that might top them all. During a recent convention panel, the Boyz N the Hood star got candid about the now-iconic dojo fight scene between Morpheus and Neo, revealing that the brutal sequence wasn’t just movie magic. It left both him and Keanu Reeves literally black and blue by the time they wrapped filming.
During a recent New York Comic Con panel (via People), Fishburne, in his conversation with former co-star Joe Pantoliano, reflected on how much physical preparation went into making the scene one of the most legendary moments in sci-fi cinema. He explained:
We trained for six months before we got to Australia. We got to Australia. We continued practicing the fight for at least four months before we shot it… Then we shot it over like three days. And we had never done it full out. Like we had always marked it. We had never really used all of our physical energy to do it.
For Fishburne, the injuries were just proof of how deeply committed everyone was to making the groundbreaking action movie feel real. The Man of Steel alum continued:
So we shot it, I think it was on a Friday, the first time we took a shot at it. And by the end of however many takes that we did, both Keanu and I were black and blue with bruises on our forearms… Cause we had never made contact like that before. That’s how committed we all were to doing this thing. We knew that they [the Wachowskis] had a vision, and they communicated with us very well with what they were trying to do.
Pantoliano, who played Cypher in the original film, likened the fight choreography to “a ballet,” explaining that the seamless flow and minimal cuts helped change the trajectory of action filmmaking. He added:
It was continuous… This is the first time where the actors were actually doing the kung fu. And then, as a result of its success, everybody copied it — but poorly and badly with multi-cuts and tight shots. If you look at The Matrix, it really is a symphony compared to what we see today.
Released in 1999, The Matrix redefined what action and sci-fi could look like on screen, blending philosophy, tech noir, and Hong Kong-style martial arts in a way Hollywood hadn’t seen before. The dojo fight between Morpheus and Neo remains one of the franchise’s most celebrated moments — a perfectly choreographed dance between teacher and student that also symbolized Neo’s first steps toward believing in his own power.
It’s fitting, then, that the scene took such a physical toll on the men behind it. Reeves (known for doing much of his own stunt work) and Fishburne, whose calm authority gave Morpheus his mythic edge, both poured everything into it — even when it hurt.
While Laurence Fishburne didn’t appear in 2021’s The Matrix Resurrections, he hasn’t ruled out returning to the franchise, if the story is right, of course. And, he might get his chance because a Fifth Matrix film is happening, sadly, without the direction of the Wachowski sisters.
For now, though, fans can revisit his defining turn as Morpheus, and that punishing, unforgettable fight, by streaming The Matrix trilogy. And lucky for viewers, its streaming for free with a Tubi subscription.