Ethan Hawke and Richard Linklater Reunite for Ninth Collaboration
Ethan Hawke and Richard Linklater teamed up again for their ninth project, Blue Moon. Despite this new work, fans are curious about the possibility of a sequel to the horror film Black Phone, where Ethan Hawke’s character returns from the dead.
Black Phone 2 Success and Hawke's Interest
The horror sequel had a strong opening, grossing $26.5 million over its opening weekend. Hawke expressed enthusiasm for the genre and interest in continuing the series. He told Entertainment Weekly:
“I would like to go to hell with the Grabber. That would be my dream for the third one, to let it be a character piece about what made him, who he is now, and how he’s haunting other people’s dreams.”
The Future of the 'Before' Series
Despite the excitement around other sequels, Hawke is hesitant about revisiting the Before trilogy with Julie Delpy and Richard Linklater. When asked about a new installment since Before Midnight was released 12 years ago, he said:
“The answer I usually give is that the three films feel complete. 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 added that a new project might not be a direct continuation but something fresh, possibly an “After” series. Hawke stressed the importance of creative harmony among the trio:
“Part of what made those movies special is that 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.”
Summary
Ethan Hawke and Richard Linklater have concluded the Before trilogy but remain open to new creative collaborations while Hawke shows strong interest in continuing the Black Phone horror series.
Author's note: Ethan Hawke values meaningful, collaborative storytelling and is excited about exploring new and familiar genres through future projects.