Director Richard Linklater is trying to get a new movie project off the ground, but Hollywood isn’t buying. Linklater made a name for himself in the '90s with films like Slacker (his independent comedy debut), his coming-of-age comedy Dazed and Confused, and the romantic drama Before Sunrise. Though he got his start in independent films, he’s having a hard time getting big-studio funding for his next project, a trilogy about the transcendentalists of the 1800s: Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Margaret Fuller. Actors Ethan Hawke, Oscar Isaac, and Natalie Portman are attached to the roles, respectively.
But unsurprisingly, with the movies described as ‘the beginnings of feminism, environmentalism, and abolitionism,' financiers aren’t opening up their wallets. (READ)
Richard Linklater is struggling to get funding for his 1800s-set trilogy.
— Cinema Solace (@SolaceCinema) September 25, 2026
Starring Ethan Hawke, Natalie Portman, and Oscar Isaac.
About “the beginnings of feminism, environmentalism, and abolitionism.” pic.twitter.com/UWarePwyfy
"about the beginnings of feminism, environmentalism, and abolitionism" pic.twitter.com/COi9p66FEJ
— Lord Bimble🐾 (@wrongworldline) September 25, 2026
Yep, we don’t see any of those movies setting the box office ablaze.
Commenters say they recognize a cinematic non-starter when they see one.
Richard Linklater is struggling to get funding for his 1800s-set trilogy BECAUSE it is about “the beginnings of feminism, environmentalism, and abolitionism.”
— ReturnToSender (@ReToSender) September 25, 2026
The headline and the reason all in one.
Mfer thinks it’s still 2015. We’re not doing that anymore.
— Chríss (@Chriss_m) September 25, 2026
About “the beginnings of feminism, environmentalism, and abolitionism.”
— IfMatrixWasHereHedLaughToo (@Ifmatrixwashere) September 25, 2026
As Norm would say: “I know what the name of this movie is: box office poison” pic.twitter.com/VP9KHUo5rS
Norm Macdonald made that prediction in response to Carrot Top’s Chairman of the Board movie back in 1997. He was right. It cost $7 million and only made $300,000.
None of the expensive actors attached to the trilogy are big box office draws. Posters say Linklater would be better off casting unknowns and looking to streaming services.
maybe bc it stars 4 top tier actors, that bill's gonna be steep
— fanginyourneck* (@fanginyourneck) September 25, 2026
Just get new actors and save a ton.
— Bor Gullet.......knows... (@Jasonthezombie6) September 25, 2026
Why doesn't he just make 1 movie and if it's good they'll let him make one if not both of the others
— Ronaldo Fink (@TPat246) September 25, 2026
The issue is that it sounds like a “direct to Hulu” type of production
— Diego (@DMendoza1999) September 25, 2026
Netflix or Apple might be interested. But the potential audience for these films is small. The trilogy sounds insufferably woke, which is also a huge hurdle to getting the movies made in 2026.
Posters sarcastically offered to help crowdsource the movies.
I can donate five dollars and some good wishes
— opa (@opanomics99) September 25, 2026
— Alex B. 🍿 Cinema (@firstshowing) September 25, 2026
said nobody.
— #AmYisraelChai 🇮🇱 (@DocCrypt) September 25, 2026
‘Nobody’ sounds exactly like who will finance these films. Linklater has been trying to get this passion project made for two decades. The only trilogy he’ll likely accomplish is if he spends a third decade looking for financiers.
