Decipher Inc., well known as a manufacturer of CCGs, has signed its first trading card license to create trading cards for this year's Matrix films, Matrix Reloaded and Matrix Revolutions.  It's planning to release series of cards several weeks before the release of each of the Matrix films.  Cards for Matrix Reloaded will hit retail on May 1 (the film opens May 15), and a second series of cards covering Matrix Revolutions will be released in October prior to the movie release date in November. Both sets of Matrix cards will feature seven-card packs.  The cards will include scenes from the films as well as behind-the-scenes information on some of the 2,500 special effects shots from this year's two high tech, state-of-the-art Matrix releases.  Decipher has had lots of experience in dealing with science fiction subjects thanks to its long tenure on the Star Wars CCG as well as its work on the Star Trek CCG.

 

Unlike many major motion pictures released in the past decade, the Matrix films have not been over-licensed.  Even in what Newsweek has dubbed 'The Year of the Matrix,' the film's creators have issued only a few major licenses including McFarlane Toys and Decipher.  In early 2004 Decipher will produce a third series of cards covering the first Matrix film (from 1999) to complete the trilogy.