"Ghost in the Shell" (1995) influenced a number of prominent filmmakers, most notably the Wachowskis in "The Matrix" (1999) and its sequels. "The Matrix" series took several concepts from the film, including the Matrix digital rain, which was inspired by the opening credits of "Ghost in the Shell", and the way characters access the Matrix through holes in the back of their necks. Other parallels have been drawn to James Cameron's "Avatar", Steven Spielberg's "A.I. Artificial Intelligence", and Jonathan Mostow's "Surrogates". James Cameron cited "Ghost in the Shell" as a source of inspiration, citing it as an influence on "Avatar".