Nearly three decades have passed since Richard Linklater’s ‘Before Sunrise’ debuted at Sundance, unveiling the captivating and poignant chemistry between Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy. This infectious and emotionally resonant connection continued in the two films that followed the initial film, making it a trilogy. The films have made a mark in the hearts of all those who have watched it.
In case you didn’t notice, all the three ‘Before’ films have been released in nine-year intervals. So, with the third instalment being released in 2013, many were hoping that the film series would return for a fourth one in 2022. However, we were left disappointed, but on the bright side, the idea was never ruled out.
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On April 11, at the New York City premiere of his film ‘Wildcat,’ Indiewire asked Hawke if he would return to the ‘Before’ trilogy. He agreed, but with a condition: he will only consider returning if director Richard Linklater also comes back to the franchise and presents him with a good script.
“Definitely,” said the actor, adding, “The whole reason those movies worked the way they did are because all three of us were like-minded. It would have to be the three of us all feeling the same impulse.”
‘Before Sunrise’ (1995) is set against the backdrop of a single night in Vienna when Jesse and Céline meet on a train. Together, they roam around the Austrian capital, even fall in love at first night, but decide to go their own ways. However, they do agree to meet each other again in the future sometime. ‘Before Sunset’ (2004) continues their story as they cross paths for one afternoon in the city of love, Paris. And the last movie, ‘Before Midnight’ (2013) takes place in a single day on the Peloponnese coast in Greece, in which their characters are revealed to have been happily married.
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While Hawke has spoken up about the possibility of a fourth film in the franchise, previously in 2021, Delpy too had talked about a reunion in a conversation with Variety. “What happened was that we — all three of us — agreed that we couldn’t come up with something good for a fourth one,” she said adding, “It’s that simple. We didn’t fight. We’re not on bad terms. Everyone’s happy,” further adding that they “just didn’t come up with a good idea.”
Now, whether or not Richard Linklater comes up with a script is yet to be determined, but fans of the romance films are optimistic.
