‘The Matrix’ Director Lilly Wachowski Says Hollywood Won’t Finance Her $10 Million Thriller Because It’s Got a ‘Wall-to-Wall Trans Cast’

https://variety.com/2026/film/news/lilly-wachowski-trans-movie-no-financing-1236833156/

Filmmaker Lilly Wachowski is working to get her next project, “The Hunted,” out of late-stage production. But the “Bound” and “Matrix” director says nobody in Hollywood wants to finance the thriller, which is budgeted at around $10 million, because of its trans representation.

“People like it, but they really don’t want to make it because it’s [got a] wall-to-wall trans cast,” Wachowski said on KCRW’s “The Business” podcast last Friday. “I have to get creative and figure out different ways that I can get this in front of people.”

“This is a script that was extremely important for me to write,” she continued. “It was a response to what is happening in the world for trans people, and it gave me a hugely cathartic receptacle to dump all of my anger and rage and frustration into.”

63 points · 18 comments · view on lemmy.world

18 Comments

woop_woop@lemmy.world · 28 pts · 23d (1 reply)

It also may be that she had a good movie 26 years ago and everything since has been mediocre or bombs ..

ThunderclapSasquatch@startrek.website · 3 pts · 23d

Nooooooo, it's cause bigotry! That way she can feel better about herself and refuse to grow as a creator!

MintyFresh@lemmy.world · 15 pts · 23d (3 replies)

On a slightly related note, I just watched Stop! That! Train!, which has a drag cast. It was so good. Like Airplane! but on a train, and with drag queens.

Setiyeti93@lemmy.ca · 2 pts · 23d (1 reply)

Does it share a continuity with "starbooty"?

MintyFresh@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 23d

Lol I have no idea

velma@sh.itjust.works · 1 pts · 23d

Fun! I'll have to watch it soon

Cybersec@piefed.social · 8 pts · 23d (2 replies)

She probably has her own $10 mil?

Steve@startrek.website · 14 pts · 23d

Never fund a risky business with your own money.

SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca · 1 pts · 23d

She's worth $150M. Aside from Matrix 1 and 2, has she done anything good?

TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 23d (1 reply)

I haven't been to a theater in 10 years but I'd go watch this in theaters.

velma@sh.itjust.works · 8 pts · 23d

Right? $10 mil isn’t even that big of a budget. They should green light this.

Malyca@lemmy.zip · 6 pts · 23d (1 reply)

I wonder if we can crowd fund it?

jnod4@lemmy.ca · 8 pts · 23d

She's been making money off the matrix movies for 2 decades, she can afford it if she believes in the premise

altphoto@lemmy.today · 4 pts · 23d

The Matrix was something different. I say prove them wrong.!

NatakuNox@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 23d (2 replies)

Okay, I just don't know if a forced primis is worth $10 million. Yes, Hollywood has issues with representation but if they could make money off it it will be everywhere. Examples like Found Footage craze, Zombie movies, Chinese audience chase, shackey came and 3D even had it's box office moment. Why not start smaller with a theater/stage production? Grow the audiance see if the want is even there.

Bluescluestoothpaste@sh.itjust.works · 2 pts · 23d (1 reply)

Because she wants this headline so some billionaire will fund it for her

NatakuNox@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 19d

(Shower Thought) Wanted to add, there are maybe 100 good English speaking actors on earth. The chances you could make any non documentary movie fully casted with trans actors, and not have the movie be objectively terrible is impossible. No one wants to watch a movie with 99.9% amateur actors. If she really wanted to help trans representation in movies she's create a school/nonprofit dedicated to getting trans individuals into the film industry.

uber_chicken@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 23d

Get all the trans and trans allies to donate $1 each. Easy