Will there be another sequel in Richard Linklater’s ‘Before’ film series?
With January 2025 marking 30 years since the beginning of Richard Linklater’s Before trilogy, there’s only one question in fan’s minds: will there ever be another sequel in the infectiously romantic series?
Starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy as one of cinema’s most beloved and heart-breaking couples, Linklater’s Before Sunrise premiered in 1995 to critical acclaim. It follows the actors as two travelling students who meet serendipitously on a Eurail train, one going to Vienna and the other to Paris. It was beloved for its intelligent approach to unapologetically romantic modern love and its minimal style that focused largely on the dialogue between the two characters, not to mention the palpable chemistry between its lead actors.
Before Sunset, released nine years after the original, was directed by Linklater and co-written with Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke. The film revisits the characters nine years later as they reunite in Paris. What sets this sequel apart is that it wasn’t driven by audience demand or financial incentives but by the creative desire of Linklater, Delpy, and Hawke to further explore the couple’s journey. Unlike many sequels, Before Sunset surpassed its predecessor critically and even earned an Academy Award nomination.
A further nine years later, Before Midnight, another collaboration between Richard Linklater, Hawke and Delpy, came along. Once again, it was set nine years after Jesse and Céline’s last on-screen meeting. These nine-year gaps have become one of the trilogy’s most integral and iconic aspects, with many wondering if a fourth instalment would be released in 2022. Sadly, the year came and went with no sequel.
But is there a chance of a fourth film in the future?
It has been consistently rumoured that a fourth instalment of the film would be released, and while the filmmakers have discussed it, it has yet to be confirmed. In 2020, Delpy stated that she had turned down the possibility of a fourth film because the trio were unable to settle on a fresh enough idea that caught each of their interests.
However, Ethan Hawke and Richard Linklater have expressed interest in collaborating on future films. Hawke told IndieWire that since the first three films happened because the three were like-minded, then “it would have to be the three of us all feeling the same impulse” to make a fourth film possible. However, given that 2022 – nine years after the release of Before Midnight – came and went without a fourth film, it seems that any further films would not follow that same trajectory.
Hawke seems to think this is for the better as it would provide a fresh perspective on the story, saying, “Linklater would want a different path, but we enjoy working together and being together. We have to make sure we have something to say.” So, it seems that another movie in Linklater’s cult trilogy will not be forthcoming anytime soon.
However, there’s always the opportunity of leaving a slightly longer gap in the iconic lovers’ story, perhaps setting the new instalment 18 years later – or, if physically possible, 27 years later when the couple have grown old, together or apart.
