| The Before Trilogy | |
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 Criterion Collection cover art | |
| Directed by | Richard Linklater |
| Screenplay by | Richard Linklater Kim Krizan (Sunrise) Ethan Hawke (Sunset, Midnight) Julie Delpy (Sunset, Midnight) |
| Story by | Richard Linklater (Sunset) Kim Krizan (Sunset) |
| Produced by | Anne Walker-McBay (Sunrise, Sunset) Richard Linklater (Midnight) Christos V. Konstantakopoulos (Midnight) Sara Woodhatch (Midnight) |
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Release date | 1995–2013 |
Running time | 290 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $7.5 million[1] |
| Box office | $61.5 million |
The Before Trilogy consists of three American romance films directed by Richard Linklater, and starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy. Beginning with Before Sunrise (1995), and continuing with two sequels, Before Sunset (2004) and Before Midnight (2013). The films were all written by Linklater, along with Kim Krizan on the first film, and with Hawke and Delpy on the last two.[a]
Set and filmed in nine year intervals, the films chronicle the romantic relationship between Jesse (Hawke) and Céline (Delpy) at three periods of their lives. The characters also make cameo appearances in Linklater's animated anthology film Waking Life (2001). The making of Before Midnight is chronicled in a 31-minute documentary titled After Before, which was filmed on set.
The films are considered minimal, consisting mostly of monologues and casual conversation with extended dialogue between the characters. Contrasting ideas and perspectives on life and love are detailed, with the series referencing time, self-discovery, age, loss, and parentage; it is considered an exploration of postmodern romance.
The Before trilogy received widespread critical acclaim, nominated for two Academy Awards, two Writers Guild of America Awards, and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical for Delpy for Before Midnight. The series is also a commercial success, grossing $61.5 million worldwide against a combined budget of $7.5 million.
Although discussed by the filmmakers and widely rumored, a fourth film was not in development as of June 2024.
The films were distributed by Sony Pictures (under their Columbia and Classics labels for the first and third films)[b] and Warner Bros. Pictures (under its Independent label for the second only), while all three were produced by Castle Rock Entertainment; Before Midnight was also produced by Venture Forth and Linklater's production company, Detour Filmproduction.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
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