Few modern film trilogies have aged as gracefully — or as painfully — as Richard Linklater‘s Before series. From Before Sunrise (1995) to Before Sunset (2004) and Before Midnight (2013), the journey of Jesse and Céline felt like a long conversation stretched across decades. Love, time, disillusionment — the stuff of real life, not movie endings.
Now, over a decade after the last chapter, Ethan Hawke isn’t convinced there should ever be another. Speaking on Variety‘s Awards Circuit Podcast ahead of the release of Blue Moon (out October 24, 2025, in U.S. theaters), Hawke reflected on what might be the end of the road for one of cinema’s most human love stories.
“The answer I usually give is that the three films feel complete,” Hawke said. “The first one begins with us on a train listening to a couple in their mid-40s fighting, and in the third one, we’ve become that couple. The circle feels complete.”
He’s right. The trilogy wasn’t designed to expand — it was designed to mature. What began as an accidental meeting in Vienna became a meditation on memory and choice, aging and regret. Each film captured a distinct emotional frequency, and by Before Midnight, the resonance had shifted from romantic yearning to existential exhaustion.
A Perfectly Imperfect Closure
That word — “complete” — is dangerous in Hollywood. It implies finality in an industry addicted to resurrection. But Hawke isn’t closing the door entirely.
“If we were to do another, it might not be a ‘Before’ film. It could be something new — maybe the ‘After’ series,” he said, half-joking. “Julie, Rick, and I were always in sync about what we wanted to say. That could happen again one day — it might start with one phone call or an email. But we don’t want to outlive our fan base.”
It’s that last line — we don’t want to outlive our fan base — that lands hardest. There’s a rare humility in it, the kind that comes from knowing when to stop talking. The Before films were never nostalgic, never performative. They simply existed within the moment, then walked away when the moment ended.
Still, there’s something poetic about the idea of an After. Not a literal sequel, but an echo. The idea that Jesse and Céline could still exist somewhere — older, perhaps lonelier, but still talking.
Linklater and Hawke’s New Chapter: Blue Moon
The actor’s comments arrive just as he reunites with Linklater for Blue Moon, a new drama starring Andrew Scott and Margaret Qualley. The film explores lyricist Lorenz Hart’s turbulent years leading up to the 1943 opening of Oklahoma! — a portrait of genius colliding with heartbreak.
Early reviews suggest Blue Moon continues Linklater’s fascination with time and artistic identity. With an 88% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes from 77 reviews, it’s been warmly received — not the lightning-in-a-bottle phenomenon of Before Sunset, but another reminder of how quietly powerful Linklater and Hawke can be when in sync.
Their collaborations — from Tape to Boyhood — always feel like conversations about the passage of time disguised as movies. So even if Before Midnight truly marked the end, Blue Moon proves that the creative rhythm between Hawke and Linklater still hums.
The Trilogy’s Enduring Legacy
In the streaming era, where franchises are milked to death, the restraint shown by the Before team feels almost radical. Each film was made for under $3 million, each turned a profit (Before Midnight grossed around $23 million worldwide), and all three remain critically adored — Before Sunrise (100%), Before Sunset (94%), Before Midnight (98%) on Rotten Tomatoes.
Those numbers don’t just measure success; they map an evolution. The first film was about the possibility of love. The second, about its return. The third, about its cost. Together, they form a complete emotional sentence — one that doesn’t need an ellipsis.
But nostalgia is a powerful drug. Fans have aged alongside Jesse and Céline, and for many, the idea of seeing them in their sixties feels… inevitable. Maybe even necessary. Hawke knows that too — which is why his answer, though cautious, leaves the faintest crack in the door.
Why the Before Trilogy Still Hurts (In the Best Way)
It’s the rare series where time itself is the antagonist. Every pause, every half-glance, every argument feels weighted with years we’ve lived through ourselves. That’s why fans keep asking for more — not because they need another story, but because they miss the mirror.
Yet maybe that longing is the point. Maybe what makes the Before trilogy timeless is its refusal to give closure beyond what life offers: imperfect moments, unresolved endings, love that mutates instead of ending.
What We Learned from Ethan Hawke’s Comments
The Trilogy Feels Complete
Hawke believes Before Sunrise, Sunset, and Midnight tell a full-circle story that doesn’t need a fourth entry.
Possibility of an “After” Project
He hasn’t ruled out a new creative collaboration with Julie Delpy and Richard Linklater — just not necessarily another Before.
Linklater Collaboration Continues
Their new film Blue Moon (out October 24, 2025) has already earned strong critical reception.
Critical and Commercial Legacy
All three Before films were low-budget successes with near-universal acclaim.
The Emotional Truth Endures
Even without another sequel, Jesse and Céline’s story continues to evolve in the hearts of audiences.
FAQ
Will there be a fourth Before movie?
There are no confirmed plans. Hawke says the trilogy feels complete, though he’s open to reuniting with Linklater and Delpy for a new concept someday.
Why do fans want another film so badly?
Because the Before series reflects real life — it grows older, more complicated, and more vulnerable with time. Viewers see themselves in that.
Could an “After” series work as a TV show?
Possibly. Given the changing theatrical landscape, a limited series could explore aging, intimacy, and memory in a slower rhythm — very Linklater, very human.
Is Blue Moon connected to the Before trilogy?
Not narratively. But spiritually, yes — it shares Linklater’s fascination with time, artistry, and regret.
