Lilly Wachowski, the director known for the Matrix series, is criticizing Hollywood for its lack of support for transgender action films.
Wachowski’s plans to gather $10 million for a project were largely ignored by the industry. In her next venture, she aims to explore themes central to the transgender experience.
“People love the script,” Wachowski remarked about the proposed action movie. “But they really don’t want to get involved. It’s got an all-trans cast. You just have to find creative ways to tell these stories.”
Wachowski, who took the reins in 2016, emphasized the project’s significance. “This script means a lot to me. It’s a reaction to the struggles faced by transgender individuals and serves as a cathartic outlet for my anger and frustration,” she explained.
“I’m planning to celebrate transgender joy with my friends,” Wachowski added. “It wasn’t what I expected, but in a way, it still resonates with me.”
The Wachowskis have been behind several major action films, such as the Matrix franchise, Speed Racer, Cloud Atlas, and Jupiter Ascending. Yet, aside from Matrix, the other films didn’t perform well at the box office.
Speed Racer reportedly lost over $20 million, while Cloud Atlas faced similar losses, and Jupiter Ascending barely broke even.
Some speculate that the difficulty the Wachowskis face in securing funding for trans action films stems not from their full representation of trans characters, but rather from the financial flops of their previous films.
Since their transitions, the Wachowskis have been outspoken activists for transgender rights. Last year, Wachowski defended a DC Comics writer who publicly celebrated the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Additionally, in 2020, she criticized Elon Musk after he referenced the “red pill” concept from the Matrix as a political metaphor.
