Video of 'Matrix 4' stunt doubles leaping from SF skyscraper isn’t for the faint of heart
By Amanda Bartlett, SFGATE Published 12:06 pm PST, Sunday, February 16, 2020
Photo: Erin Carlson
Earlier this month, Keanu Reeves was seen talking to the camera crew as a Muni bus drives by during filming for "Matrix 4" at Columbus Avenue in North Beach.
Haven’t caught any of the “Matrix 4” action sequences filming in downtown San Francisco yet? You might want to look up.
In a shocking video shared to Reddit on Saturday afternoon, two stunt doubles for the film — appearing to stand in for Keanu Reeves and Carrie Ann Moss — were seen leaping off the top of 44 Montgomery in the Financial District, a dizzying 43 stories from the streets below. Tethered to harnesses rigged up to a sturdy wire, one of the actors grabs the hand of their partner as they bounce in mid-air before being hoisted back to the top of the skyscraper — presumably to do it all over again.
Watch below:
Meanwhile, the actors have been staying busy at street level. Last night, another Reddit user was able to capture Reeves hitching a ride on the back of Moss’ motorcycle as they zipped down Sansome Street, with crew and cameras — and director Lana Wachowski — in tow.
“I was there and watched them circle back around 6 times. They were filming a block up. The cops were just escorting them back to the scene,” wrote user TheCaliHaze. “They’d film down the road then loop back around.”
Elsewhere in the Financial District Sunday night, two low-flying helicopters with sound effects will be conducting flyovers from 6 p.m. to midnight, according to notifications from AlertSF. They’ll be gliding at altitudes between 300 and 1,500 feet.
As for the rest of the week, shooting will consist of (even more) precision driving and helicopters, as well as pyrotechnics, controlled crashes and simulated gunfire, according to FilmSF location manager Simon Lake.
A notice issued by the film commission office verified street closures today on Front Street between Sacramento and Pine from 2 p.m. until 8 p.m.
Here are the other designated filming areas, where activity is scheduled to take place tonight through Monday morning. Intersections marked with (*) will start filming at 5 p.m. and wrap up by midnight.
California between Sansome and Kearny
Clay between Sansome and Kearny*
Commercial between Sansome and Kearny
Leidesdorff between Clay and Pine
Merchant between Montgomery and Kearny*
Montgomery between Clay and Bush
Montgomery between Sacramento and California
Montgomery between Washington and Clay*
Sacramento between Sansome and Kearny
Spring between Sacramento and California
Pine between Front and Montgomery
Pine between Sansome and Kearny
And here’s where scenes are being shot next weekend through March 2:
Battery between California and Market
Bush between Montgomery and Battery
Fremont between Market and Mission
Front between California and Market
Davis between California and Market
Leidesdorff between California and Pine
Pine between Montgomery and Market
Sansome between Sacramento and Market
“We want to thank you in advance for your cooperation and for supporting the film industry in San Francisco,” wrote Lake. In the meantime, you can catch a glimpse of some all-black, identically dystopian vehicles — props for the film — being stashed at the Transbay Terminal.
Amanda Bartlett is an SFGATE associate digital reporter. Email:
amanda.bartlett@sfgate.com | Twitter: @byabartlett