Back in the late-‘90s/early-00’s, the Wachowskis were the hottest directors in Hollywood. After a couple under-the-radar films (including the underrated “Bound”), the directing siblings blew up thanks to the release of “The Matrix.” However, their career since that 1999 movie has been full of ups and downs.
After finishing “The Matrix” trilogy, films like “Speed Racer,” “Cloud Atlas,” and “Jupiter Ascending,” while finding cult audiences over the years, never connected with general audiences. And most recently, the Wachowskis wrapped up their Netflix series, “Sense8,” which was beloved by the fans but never a huge hit for the streaming service. Now, as there are no more projects on the horizon, it appears that we could have seen the last Wachowskis project.
READ MORE: ‘Sense8’ Finale Is A Joyous End To The Series Filled With Love, Hope, And Wonder [Review]
Last week, it was reported by Chicago Business that Lana and Lilly Wachowski put their Chicago-based studio offices on the market. While that alone wouldn’t be huge news, it’s the statements made by Lana and her wife Karin that paint a troubling picture.
Lana Wachowski said, “Lilly and I have always tried to build family wherever we worked, and for years this building has been that family’s home.”
Karin added, “This has been a dream space for us.” She continued that with no new projects scheduled and the end of “Sense8,” the family decided the best course of action was to close the offices.
That surely doesn’t sound like a directing duo moving to a new space or ready for the next project. This sounds like Lana and Lilly Wachowski have decided, for whatever, reason that filmmaking (at least as a duo) isn’t in their immediate future.
This was further exacerbated by comments made by folks who might have insider knowledge. After the news of the Chicago offices closing, a film critic, Britt Hayes, commented on Twitter, “not sure if it’s still the case, but last i heard things were not…great… between the Wachowskis.”
Her comment was followed up by C. Robert Cargill, who is the writer behind films like “Sinister” and “Doctor Strange,” who didn’t comment on the personal relationship between the siblings but added, “When I talked to Lana this summer, she said she felt pretty much done, like she accomplished everything she set out to do. I’m hoping inspiration and the boredom of a brief retirement brings them back, Soderberg style. Also: rumors.”
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When all these ingredients are mixed together, it sure does sound like Lana and Lilly Wachowski are done with directing, at least for now. As Cargill mentioned, we’ve heard retirement talk from directors before, most famously with Soderbergh (and we know how that turned out).
So it appears that after one of the most influential films of the last 20 years, the directors behind “The Matrix” are quietly stepping out of the spotlight, with no big end or finale planned — just the end of a Netflix TV show and the closing of their studios.
https://twitter.com/MissBrittHayes/status/1055229623125139456
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