Lana Wachowski (born June 21, 1965, formerly known as Larry Wachowski)
and Lilly Wachowski (born December 29, 1967, formerly known as Andy Wachowski)
are American film and television directors, writers and producers. The sisters are both
trans women
A trans woman or a transgender woman is a woman who was assigned male at birth. Trans women have a female gender identity, may experience gender dysphoria, and may transition; this process commonly includes hormone replacement therapy and s ...
.
Together known as the Wachowskis (), the sisters have worked as a writing and directing team through most of their careers. They made their directing debut in 1996 with ''
Bound
Bound or bounds may refer to:
Mathematics
* Bound variable
* Upper and lower bounds, observed limits of mathematical functions
Physics
* Bound state, a particle that has a tendency to remain localized in one or more regions of space
Geography
*B ...
'' and achieved fame with their second film, ''
The Matrix
''The Matrix'' is a 1999 science fiction action film written and directed by the Wachowskis. It is the first installment in ''The Matrix'' film series, starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, and Joe Pantolia ...
'' (1999), a major box office success for which they won the
Saturn Award for Best Director. They wrote and directed its two sequels, ''
The Matrix Reloaded
''The Matrix Reloaded'' is a 2003 American science-fiction action film written and directed by the Wachowskis. It is a sequel to '' The Matrix'' (1999) and the second installment in the ''Matrix'' film series. The film stars Keanu Reeves, Lau ...
'' and ''
The Matrix Revolutions
''The Matrix Revolutions'' is a 2003 American science fiction action film written and directed by the Wachowskis. It is the third installment in ''The Matrix'' film series, released six months following ''The Matrix Reloaded''. The film stars ...
'' (both in 2003), and were involved in the writing and production of other works in the
''Matrix'' franchise.
Following the commercial success of the ''Matrix'' series, the Wachowskis wrote and produced the 2005 film ''
V for Vendetta
''V for Vendetta'' is a British graphic novel written by Alan Moore and illustrated by David Lloyd (with additional art by Tony Weare). Initially published between 1982 and 1985 in black and white as an ongoing serial in the British anthol ...
'', an adaptation of
the graphic novel by
Alan Moore
Alan Moore (born 18 November 1953) is an English author known primarily for his work in comic books including '' Watchmen'', ''V for Vendetta'', '' The Ballad of Halo Jones'', ''Swamp Thing'', ''Batman:'' ''The Killing Joke'', and '' From He ...
and
David Lloyd, and in 2008 released the film ''
Speed Racer
''Speed Racer'', also known as , is a Japanese media franchise about Auto racing, automobile racing. ''Mach GoGoGo'' was originally serialized in print in Shueisha's 1966 ''Shōnen Book''. It was released in tankōbon book form by Sun W ...
'', a live-action adaptation of
the Japanese anime series. Their next film, ''
Cloud Atlas
A cloud atlas is a pictorial key (or an atlas) to the nomenclature of clouds. Early cloud atlases were an important element in the training of meteorologists and in weather forecasting, and the author of a 1923 atlas stated that "increasing use ...
'', based on
the novel by
David Mitchell and co-written and co-directed by
Tom Tykwer
Tom Tykwer (; born 23 May 1965) is a German film director, producer, screenwriter, and composer. He is best known internationally for directing the thriller films '' Run Lola Run'' (1998), '' Heaven'' (2002), '' Perfume: The Story of a Murderer ...
, was released in 2012. Their film ''
Jupiter Ascending
''Jupiter Ascending'' is a 2015 space opera film written, directed and co-produced by the Wachowskis. Starring Channing Tatum and Mila Kunis with Sean Bean, Eddie Redmayne and Douglas Booth in supporting roles, the film is centered on Jupiter J ...
'' and the
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fi ...
series ''
Sense8
''Sense8'' (a play on the word '' sensate'' ) is an American science fiction drama streaming television series created by Lana and Lilly Wachowski and J. Michael Straczynski for Netflix. The production companies behind ''Sense8'' included ...
'', which they co-created with
J. Michael Straczynski, debuted in 2015; the second season of ''Sense8'' ended the series in 2018 and was Lana's first major creative undertaking without Lilly.
Since the
series finale of ''Sense8'', the Wachowskis have been working separately on different projects: Lilly directed, wrote, and executive-produced several episodes of
Showtime
Showtime or Show Time may refer to:
Film
* ''Showtime'' (film), a 2002 American action/comedy film
* ''Showtime'' (video), a 1995 live concert video by Blur
Television Networks and channels
* Showtime Networks, a division of Paramount Global w ...
's ''
Work in Progress
Work in process (WIP), work in progress (WIP), goods in process, or in-process inventory refers to a company's partially finished goods waiting for completion and eventual sale, or the value of these items. The term is used in supply chain manage ...
'' (2019) with creators Abby McEnany and Tim Mason, while Lana filmed ''
The Matrix Resurrections
''The Matrix Resurrections'' is a 2021 American science fiction action film produced, co-written, and directed by Lana Wachowski, and being the first in ''Matrix'' franchise to be directed solely by Lana, without her sister, Lilly. It is the s ...
'', written with Mitchell and
Aleksandar Hemon
Aleksandar Hemon ( sr-Cyrl, Александар Xeмoн; born September 9, 1964) is a Bosnian-American author, essayist, critic, television writer, and screenwriter. He is best known for the novels '' Nowhere Man'' (2002) and '' The Lazarus Pr ...
, which was released in December 2021.
Early life and careers
Lana was born in Chicago in 1965; Lilly was born two and a half years later, in 1967. Their mother, Lynne ( Luckinbill), was a nurse and painter. Their father, Ron Wachowski, was a businessman of
Polish
Polish may refer to:
* Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe
* Polish language
* Poles
Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...
descent. Their uncle is an actor and
Primetime Emmy Award–winning producer,
Laurence Luckinbill
Laurence George Luckinbill (born November 21, 1934) is an American actor, playwright and director. He has worked in television, film, and theatre, doing triple duty in the theatre by writing, directing, and starring in stage productions. He is kn ...
.
Ron and Lynne died five weeks apart in the late 2010s. Lana and Lilly have two other sisters, Julie and Laura.
Julie was assistant coordinator for the film ''
Bound
Bound or bounds may refer to:
Mathematics
* Bound variable
* Upper and lower bounds, observed limits of mathematical functions
Physics
* Bound state, a particle that has a tendency to remain localized in one or more regions of space
Geography
*B ...
''; she is a novelist and screenwriter.
The Wachowskis attended the Kellogg Elementary School in Chicago's
Beverly area, and graduated from
Whitney Young High School, known for its performing arts and science curriculum, in 1983 and 1985.
Former classmates recall them playing ''
Dungeons & Dragons
''Dungeons & Dragons'' (commonly abbreviated as ''D&D'' or ''DnD'') is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game (RPG) originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The game was first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. (TS ...
'' and working in the school's theater and TV program.
Lana went to
Bard College
Bard College is a private liberal arts college in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York. The campus overlooks the Hudson River and Catskill Mountains, and is within the Hudson River Historic District—a National Historic Landmark.
Founded in 1860, ...
, in New York state; Lilly attended
Emerson College, in
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
. Each dropped out before graduating, and they ran a house-painting and construction business in Chicago.
Beginning in 1993, they wrote several issues of ''
Ectokid
''Ectokid'' is a superhero comic book series published by Marvel Comics' Razorline imprint that ran from 1993 to 1994. Created by filmmaker and horror/fantasy novelist Clive Barker as one of the imprint's four interconnected series, it starred tee ...
'' for
Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...
'
Razorline
Razorline was an imprint of American comic book company Marvel Comics that ran from 1993 to 1995. It was created by filmmaker and horror/fantasy novelist Clive Barker, with its characters existing in one of the many alternate universes outside ...
imprint (created by horror novelist
Clive Barker
Clive Barker (born 5 October 1952) is an English novelist, playwright, author, film director, and visual artist who came to prominence in the mid-1980s with a series of short stories, the ''Books of Blood'', which established him as a leading h ...
), which were credited to Lana.
They also wrote for the series ''
Clive Barker's Hellraiser
''Hellraiser'' is an English/American horror media franchise that consists of eleven films, as well as various comic books, and additional merchandise and media. Based on the novella by English author Clive Barker titled ''The Hellbound Heart'', ...
'' and ''
Clive Barker's Nightbreed
''Nightbreed'' is a 1990 American dark fantasy horror film written and directed by Clive Barker, based on his 1988 novella ''Cabal''. It stars Craig Sheffer, Anne Bobby, David Cronenberg, Charles Haid, Hugh Quarshie, and Doug Bradley. The film f ...
'' for Marvel's
Epic Comics
Epic Comics (also known as the Epic Comics Group)Shooter, Jim. "Bullpen Bulletins: The Truth About the Epic Comics Group!" Marvel comics cover-dated November 1982. was an imprint of Marvel Comics from 1982 to 1996. A spin-off of the publisher's ...
imprint.
Film and television careers
Early film projects
In the mid-1990s they went into film writing, including the script for ''
Assassins
An assassin is a person who commits targeted murder.
Assassin may also refer to:
Origin of term
* Someone belonging to the medieval Persian Ismaili order of Assassins
Animals and insects
* Assassin bugs, a genus in the family ''Reduviida ...
'' in 1994, which was directed by
Richard Donner
Richard Donner (born Richard Donald Schwartzberg; April 24, 1930 – July 5, 2021) was an American filmmaker whose notable works included some of the most financially-successful films during the New Hollywood era. According to film historian ...
and released in 1995.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...
bought the script and included two more pictures in the contract.
Donner had their script "totally rewritten" by
Brian Helgeland
Brian Thomas Helgeland (born January 17, 1961) is an American screenwriter, film producer and director. He is most known for writing the screenplays for the films ''L.A. Confidential'' and ''Mystic River''. He also wrote and directed the films ...
and the Wachowskis tried unsuccessfully to remove their names from the film.
They say the experience gave them the perspective that they should become directors or "
hey willnever survive as writers in this town".
Their next project was the 1996
neo-noir
Neo-noir is a revival of film noir, a genre that had originally flourished during the post-World War II era in the United Statesroughly from 1940 to 1960. The French term, ''film noir'', translates literally to English as "black film", indicating ...
thriller ''
Bound
Bound or bounds may refer to:
Mathematics
* Bound variable
* Upper and lower bounds, observed limits of mathematical functions
Physics
* Bound state, a particle that has a tendency to remain localized in one or more regions of space
Geography
*B ...
'', for which they wrote the script and made their debut as directors. The film was well received for its style and craft,
and was noted as one of the first mainstream films to feature a same-sex relationship without it being central to the plot.
Taking advantage of the positive buzz, the Wachowskis asked to direct their next picture, ''
The Matrix
''The Matrix'' is a 1999 science fiction action film written and directed by the Wachowskis. It is the first installment in ''The Matrix'' film series, starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, and Joe Pantolia ...
''.
''The Matrix'' franchise
They completed ''The Matrix'', a
science fiction
Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel uni ...
action film, in 1999. The movie stars
Keanu Reeves as
Neo, a hacker recruited by a rebellion to aid them in the fight against machines who have taken over the world and placed humanity inside a
simulated reality called "the Matrix".
Laurence Fishburne
Laurence John Fishburne III (born July 30, 1961) is an American actor. He is a three time Emmy Award and Tony Award winning actor known for his roles on stage and screen. He has been hailed for his forceful, militant, and authoritative charact ...
,
Carrie-Anne Moss
Carrie-Anne Moss (born August 21, 1967) is a Canadian actress. After early roles on television, she rose to international prominence for her role of Trinity in ''The Matrix'' series (1999–present). She has starred in '' Memento'' (2000) for w ...
,
Hugo Weaving
Hugo Wallace Weaving (born 4 April 1960) is an English actor. Born in Colonial Nigeria to English parents, he has resided in Australia for the entirety of his career. He is the recipient of six Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts ...
and
Joe Pantoliano
Joseph Peter Pantoliano (born September 12, 1951) is an American character actor who has appeared in over 150 films, television and stage productions.
After his early roles in the television series '' M*A*S*H'' and the 1983 comedy '' Risky Bu ...
also star. The movie was a critical and commercial hit for Warner Bros. It won four Academy Awards, including for
"Best Visual Effects" for popularizing the
bullet time visual effect. ''The Matrix'' came to be a
major influence for action movies and has appeared in several "greatest science fiction films" lists. In 2012, the film was selected for preservation in the
National Film Registry
The National Film Registry (NFR) is the United States National Film Preservation Board's (NFPB) collection of films selected for preservation, each selected for its historical, cultural and aesthetic contributions since the NFPB’s inception ...
by the
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library ...
for being "culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant".
![Wachowskis](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b3/Wachowskis.jpg)
After its success, the Wachowskis directed two sequels
back-to-back
Back to Back or back-to-back may refer to:
Music Songs
* "Back to Back" (Drake song), 2015
* "Back to Back" (Jeanne Pruett song), 1979
*"Back to Back", a song by Pretty Maids from the 1984 album ''Red Hot and Heavy''
*"Back to Back", a song by ...
, ''
The Matrix Reloaded
''The Matrix Reloaded'' is a 2003 American science-fiction action film written and directed by the Wachowskis. It is a sequel to '' The Matrix'' (1999) and the second installment in the ''Matrix'' film series. The film stars Keanu Reeves, Lau ...
'' and ''
The Matrix Revolutions
''The Matrix Revolutions'' is a 2003 American science fiction action film written and directed by the Wachowskis. It is the third installment in ''The Matrix'' film series, released six months following ''The Matrix Reloaded''. The film stars ...
'', both released in 2003. ''The Matrix Reloaded'' received positive critical reception, although not on the level of the original. It became a major box office hit, retaining the spot of the highest-grossing
R-rated film for over a decade (until 2016's ''
Deadpool
Deadpool is an antihero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Fabian Nicieza and artist/writer Rob Liefeld, the character first appeared in ''New Mutants'' #98 (cover-dated Feb. 1991). Initially, Deadp ...
''). ''The Matrix Revolutions'' received a mixed critical reception and performed only moderately in the box office. Although profitable, it was slightly less so compared to the original film.
During production of the first film, the Wachowskis and Spencer Lamm, who ran the film's official website, developed comics based on the setting of the film, which were published free of charge on the website. These and a few short stories were released in three series from 1999 to 2003, with several of them (along with new material) collected in two print volumes in 2003 and 2004. The Wachowskis themselves contributed "Bits and Pieces", a prequel to the movie that explains the origins of the Matrix, featuring illustrations by
Geof Darrow
Geofrey "Geof" Darrow (born October 21, 1955) is an American comic book artist, best known for his work on comic series ''Shaolin Cowboy'', '' Hard Boiled'' and ''The Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot'', which was adapted into an animated televisi ...
, the movie's conceptual designer. Other writers and artists that contributed to the series include
Neil Gaiman,
Dave Gibbons
David Chester Gibbons (born 14 April 1949) is an English comics artist, writer and sometimes letterer. He is best known for his collaborations with writer Alan Moore, which include the miniseries ''Watchmen'' and the Superman story "For the Man ...
,
Paul Chadwick
Paul Chadwick (born 1957) is an American comic book creator best known for his series ''Concrete'' about a normal man trapped in a stone body.
Biography
Born in Seattle, Chadwick grew up in its suburb Medina, where his father, Stephen F. Chadw ...
,
,
Poppy Z. Brite, and
Steve Skroce.
After Lilly Wachowski came out as transgender, she encouraged looking back on her and Lana's works "through the lens of our transness", saying that the themes of identity, self-image and transformation are apparent in ''The Matrix''.
Later collaborations
The Wachowskis' next feature film was ''
V for Vendetta
''V for Vendetta'' is a British graphic novel written by Alan Moore and illustrated by David Lloyd (with additional art by Tony Weare). Initially published between 1982 and 1985 in black and white as an ongoing serial in the British anthol ...
'', an adaptation of
Alan Moore
Alan Moore (born 18 November 1953) is an English author known primarily for his work in comic books including '' Watchmen'', ''V for Vendetta'', '' The Ballad of Halo Jones'', ''Swamp Thing'', ''Batman:'' ''The Killing Joke'', and '' From He ...
and
David Lloyd's graphic novel
of the same name, starring
Natalie Portman
Natalie Portman (born Natalie Hershlag, he, נטע-לי הרשלג, ) is an Israeli-born American actress. She has had a prolific film career since her teenage years and has starred in various blockbusters and independent films, receiving mu ...
and
Hugo Weaving
Hugo Wallace Weaving (born 4 April 1960) is an English actor. Born in Colonial Nigeria to English parents, he has resided in Australia for the entirety of his career. He is the recipient of six Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts ...
. They wrote and produced the film with ''Matrix'' producer
Joel Silver
Joel Silver (born July 14, 1952) is an American film producer.
Life and career
Silver was born and raised in South Orange, New Jersey, the son of a writer and a public relations executive. His family is Jewish. He attended Columbia High School i ...
, who had previously purchased the film rights to the graphic novel. The Wachowskis offered the film to
James McTeigue
James McTeigue (born December 29, 1967) is an Australian film and television director. He has been an assistant director on many films, including '' Dark City'' (1998), the ''Matrix'' trilogy (1999–2003) and '' Star Wars: Episode II – Att ...
, the first assistant director of ''The Matrix'' trilogy, as his directorial debut. Moore did not participate in the production, as he was disappointed by previous Hollywood adaptations of his work, and disagreed with differences between his graphic novel and the screenplay. Following a statement to the press by Silver that Moore was supposedly excited to learn more about the movie, Moore demanded that Silver retract it, and had his own name removed from the credits when he didn't. The film's controversial storyline and themes have been both criticized and praised by sociopolitical groups. It was released in 2005 and was well received critically; it was a box office success but did not rank on the scale of ''The Matrix'' films. The film popularized the image of the
Guy Fawkes mask
The Guy Fawkes mask (also known as the ''V for Vendetta'' mask or Anonymous mask) is a stylised depiction of Guy Fawkes (the best-known member of the Gunpowder Plot, an attempt to blow up the House of Lords in London on 5November 1605) created ...
, as the version designed by
David Lloyd for the graphic novel and used in the movie was adopted as a symbol by the online
hacktivist
In Internet activism, hacktivism, or hactivism (a portmanteau of '' hack'' and '' activism''), is the use of computer-based techniques such as hacking as a form of civil disobedience to promote a political agenda or social change. With roots in h ...
group
Anonymous two years later.
In 2006, Silver had the Wachowskis and McTeigue hired to revamp ''
The Invasion'' for Warner Bros. The studio was disappointed in the film as produced by director
Oliver Hirschbiegel
Oliver Hirschbiegel (born 29 December 1957) is a German film director. His works include ''Das Experiment'' and the Oscar-nominated '' Downfall''.
Life and career
Hirschbiegel was born in Hamburg, Germany. A Waldorf graduate, Hirschbiegel stu ...
and hired the Wachowskis to rewrite a portion of the script and add new action scenes, which McTeigue directed. The film, the fourth adaptation of the novel ''
The Body Snatchers
''The Body Snatchers'' is a science fiction novel by American writer Jack Finney, originally serialized in ''Collier's'' magazine in November–December 1954 and published in book form the following year.
The novel describes the town of Mill ...
'', was released in 2007 and was not a critical or box office success. The Wachowskis and McTeigue are not credited on the film.
The Wachowskis returned to directing with ''
Speed Racer
''Speed Racer'', also known as , is a Japanese media franchise about Auto racing, automobile racing. ''Mach GoGoGo'' was originally serialized in print in Shueisha's 1966 ''Shōnen Book''. It was released in tankōbon book form by Sun W ...
'' (2008) which starred
Emile Hirsch
Emile Davenport Hirsch (born March 13, 1985) is an American actor. He played Chris McCandless in '' Into the Wild'' (2007). Other notable film roles include '' The Girl Next Door'' (2004), ''Lords of Dogtown'' (2005), ''Alpha Dog'' (2006), ''Spe ...
. The film, which was again produced by Silver, was an adaptation of a
1960s Japanese manga series originally called ''Mach GoGoGo'', which had previously been adapted as an
anime television series in 1967. The Wachowskis were attracted to the project because the series was the first anime they had watched, and they wanted to make a family-friendly film for their nieces and nephews to enjoy. In an effort to simulate the look of anime in live action, the Wachowskis had cinematographer
David Tattersall
David Tattersall, (born 14 November 1960) is a British cinematographer. He has worked on many big-budget films and was nominated for an Emmy Award for his cinematography on ''The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles'' television series. Three of his ...
shoot the movie
digitally on a
digital backlot
A digital backlot or virtual backlot is a motion-picture set that is neither a genuine location nor a constructed studio; the shooting takes place entirely on a stage with a blank background (often a greenscreen) that will later on project an art ...
with the intention of adding extensive visual effects in post-production. The movie was considered a critical and
commercial failure
Failure is the state or condition of not meeting a desirable or intended objective, and may be viewed as the opposite of success. The criteria for failure depends on context, and may be relative to a particular observer or belief system. One ...
. While its special effects were noted as outstanding, the storyline is considered lacking. It was nominated in the category of "Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-off or Sequel" for the
29th Golden Raspberry Awards
The 29th Golden Raspberry Awards, or Razzies, ceremony was held by the Golden Raspberry Award Foundation to honor the worst films the film industry had to offer in 2008. The ceremony was held at the Barnsdall Gallery Theatre in Hollywood, Califo ...
. Its box office gross was $93 million compared to a production budget of $120 million. Since then, critics periodically have put the film on lists of underrated or
cult films.
The Wachowskis' next film project was ''
Ninja Assassin
''Ninja Assassin'' is a 2009 neo-noir martial arts film directed by James McTeigue. The story was written by Matthew Sand, with a screenplay by J. Michael Straczynski. The film stars South Korean pop musician Rain as a disillusioned assassin ...
'', a
martial arts film
Martial arts films are a subgenre of action films that feature numerous martial arts combat between characters. These combats are usually the films' primary appeal and entertainment value, and often are a method of storytelling and character expres ...
starring
Rain
Rain is water droplets that have condensed from atmospheric water vapor and then fall under gravity. Rain is a major component of the water cycle and is responsible for depositing most of the fresh water on the Earth. It provides water ...
, which was released in 2009. It was inspired by Rain's fighting scene in ''Speed Racer''. It was produced by the Wachowskis in their last involvement with Silver, and directed by McTeigue. The screenplay was written by Matthew Sand and
J. Michael Straczynski, whom the Wachowskis called six weeks before filming to ask him for a total rewrite completed within a week, because they were dissatisfied with the earlier drafts and were running out of time. ''Ninja Assassin'' received negative reviews and performed lukewarmly in the theaters but respectably on home video.
![Wachowskis, Fantastic Fest, Cloud Atlas](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b2/Wachowskis%2C_Fantastic_Fest%2C_Cloud_Atlas.jpg)
Their next directorial outing was ''
Cloud Atlas
A cloud atlas is a pictorial key (or an atlas) to the nomenclature of clouds. Early cloud atlases were an important element in the training of meteorologists and in weather forecasting, and the author of a 1923 atlas stated that "increasing use ...
'', which was adapted from
David Mitchell's
2004 novel of the same name and starred an
ensemble cast which included
Tom Hanks
Thomas Jeffrey Hanks (born July 9, 1956) is an American actor and filmmaker. Known for both his comedic and dramatic roles, he is one of the most popular and recognizable film stars worldwide, and is regarded as an American cultural icon. Ha ...
and
Halle Berry. ''Cloud Atlas'' was written and directed in collaboration with German filmmaker
Tom Tykwer
Tom Tykwer (; born 23 May 1965) is a German film director, producer, screenwriter, and composer. He is best known internationally for directing the thriller films '' Run Lola Run'' (1998), '' Heaven'' (2002), '' Perfume: The Story of a Murderer ...
, to whom the Wachowskis had introduced the novel several years earlier. The filmmakers failed to secure funding from a studio (save for $20 million by Warner Bros.) and the film was produced independently after much trouble. With a budget of over $100 million it was noted as the most expensive independent movie to that date and the first attempt at a German blockbuster. The movie opened at the
37th annual Toronto International Film Festival in September 2012 to acclaim and received a loud and lengthy standing ovation. In its general release a month later, it received polarizing reviews and eventually appeared in both "Best Film" and "Worst Film" lists. Overall reviews were mixed to positive. The film received many nominations and awards, particularly for its technical aspects, including 10 nominations for the
German Film Award, out of which it won five. It also received five
Saturn Award nominations, out of which it won two. David Mitchell liked the script of ''Cloud Atlas'', spent some time on the set (including filming a cameo), and had a positive impression about the result. According to the Wachowskis the movie was the hardest of their films to make, the one they are the most proud of, and the one they have been told has touched people's lives the most. They believe ''Cloud Atlas'' will be the film for which they will be remembered.
![Lana_Wachowski_-_TIFF_2012_(7960740126)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/41/Lana_Wachowski_-_TIFF_2012_%287960740126%29.jpg)
The Wachowskis subsequently produced and directed ''
Jupiter Ascending
''Jupiter Ascending'' is a 2015 space opera film written, directed and co-produced by the Wachowskis. Starring Channing Tatum and Mila Kunis with Sean Bean, Eddie Redmayne and Douglas Booth in supporting roles, the film is centered on Jupiter J ...
'', an original
space opera screenplay they wrote. The film was released in 2015. It stars
Channing Tatum
Channing Matthew Tatum (born April 26, 1980) is an American actor. Tatum made his film debut in the drama ''Coach Carter'' (2005), and had his breakthrough role in the 2006 dance film '' Step Up''. He gained wider attention for his leading rol ...
and
Mila Kunis
Milena Markovna "Mila" Kunis (born August 14, 1983) is an American actress. Born in Chernivtsi and raised in Los Angeles, she began playing Jackie Burkhart on the Fox television series ''That '70s Show'' (1998–2006) at the age of 14. Since ...
, and features the Wachowskis' regular collaborators
John Gaeta
John C. Gaeta (born 1965) is a designer and inventor best known for his work on the ''Matrix'' film trilogy, where he advanced methods and formats known as Bullet Time.
Career
John Gaeta was born in New York City and grew up in Shoreham, Long ...
on visual effects and
Kym Barrett
Kym Barrett (born 11 August 1965) is an Australian costume designer of Hollywood films. She is a regular collaborator with The Wachowskis and was the costume designer of their films '' The Matrix trilogy'', ''Speed Racer'', ''Cloud Atlas'' and ' ...
on costumes. According to ''
Deadline
Deadline(s) or The Deadline(s) may refer to:
* Time limit, a narrow field of time by which an objective must be accomplished
Arts, entertainment, and media Comics
* Deadline (DC Comics), a fictional villain
* ''Deadline'' (magazine), a British ...
'', the financial and critical failure of ''Jupiter Ascending'' caused their business relationship with Warner Bros, that began with ''The Matrix'' franchise, to be terminated.
Their next project was the
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fi ...
science fiction drama series ''
Sense8
''Sense8'' (a play on the word '' sensate'' ) is an American science fiction drama streaming television series created by Lana and Lilly Wachowski and J. Michael Straczynski for Netflix. The production companies behind ''Sense8'' included ...
'', created and written with J. Michael Straczynski. ''Sense8'' features an international
ensemble cast and was shot in multiple cities around the world. The Wachowskis directed most of the episodes of the first season, with the rest being handled by McTeigue, Tykwer, and their go-to visual effects supervisor on their movies, Dan Glass, in his directorial debut. The first season premiered in 2015 to generally positive reviews, particularly for the scale of the production and the presentation of diverse and
LGBT
' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity.
The LGBT term ...
characters and themes, winning the
GLAAD Media Award
The GLAAD Media Award is an accolade bestowed by GLAAD to recognize and honor various branches of the media for their outstanding representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community and the issues that affect their liv ...
for
Outstanding Drama Series. It also received a
Primetime Emmy Award nomination for
Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music. After the first season, Lilly took a break from it, for what turned out to be the remainder of the series. A
Christmas special
Christmas themes have long been an inspiration to artists and writers. A prominent aspect of Christian media, the topic first appeared in in literature and Christmas music. Filmmakers have picked up on this wealth of material, with both adaptatio ...
was released on December 23, 2016, with the remainder of the show's second season released in May 2017.
Subsequently, the third season was canceled, and ''Sense8'' concluded with a two-hour finale which aired in June 2018.
In June 2016, the
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS, often pronounced ; also known as simply the Academy or the Motion Picture Academy) is a professional honorary organization with the stated goal of advancing the arts and sciences of motio ...
invited the Wachowskis to join its ranks.
Solo projects
In May 2019, it was reported that Lilly would co-write, and co-
showrun the eight-episode first season of the
drama-comedy
Comedy drama, also known by the portmanteau ''dramedy'', is a genre of dramatic works that combines elements of comedy and drama. The modern, scripted-television examples tend to have more humorous bits than simple comic relief seen in a typical ...
series ''
Work in Progress
Work in process (WIP), work in progress (WIP), goods in process, or in-process inventory refers to a company's partially finished goods waiting for completion and eventual sale, or the value of these items. The term is used in supply chain manage ...
'', created by Abby McEnany and Tim Mason for
Showtime
Showtime or Show Time may refer to:
Film
* ''Showtime'' (film), a 2002 American action/comedy film
* ''Showtime'' (video), a 1995 live concert video by Blur
Television Networks and channels
* Showtime Networks, a division of Paramount Global w ...
. The series premiered in December 2019. In January 2020, the series was renewed for a 10-episode second season, with which Lilly would continue to be involved.
In August 2019, it was announced that Lana would be returning to write, direct and produce
the fourth installment of the ''Matrix'' series, with Reeves and Moss also reprising their roles; it marks the first film made by only one of the Wachowskis. Lana wrote the script with David Mitchell and Aleksandar Hemon. The film was released in December 2021.
Style and influences
J. Michael Straczynski, who has worked with the Wachowskis on ''Ninja Assassin'' and ''Sense8'', has said that the sisters told him they were reading his column on scriptwriting for the ''
Writer's Digest
''Writer's Digest'' is an American magazine aimed at beginning and established writers. It contains interviews, market listings, calls for manuscripts, and how-to articles.
History
''Writer's Digest'' was first published in December 1920 under ...
'' magazine, for inspiration and pointers. Straczynski contributed to the magazine from 1981 to 1991.
In 1998, in the context of explaining how they got their start in filmmaking, the Wachowskis mentioned
Roger Corman
Roger William Corman (born April 5, 1926) is an American film director, producer, and actor. He has been called "The Pope of Pop Cinema" and is known as a trailblazer in the world of independent film. Many of Corman's films are based on works t ...
's book ''How I Made A Hundred Movies in Hollywood and Never Lost a Dime'', and indicated, with laughter, that they liked his movies, and began by wanting to "make a low-budget horror movie".
In the same interview they stated that they felt flattered, after their first film, by comparisons others had made between them and the
Coen brothers
Joel Daniel Coen (born November 29, 1954) and Ethan Jesse Coen (born September 21, 1957),State of Minnesota. ''Minnesota Birth Index, 1935–2002''. Minnesota Department of Health. collectively known as the Coen brothers (), are American film ...
, who had "made five, maybe six great movies…" at that time.
Speaking to Bernard Weintraub of ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'' in April 1999, the Wachowskis mentioned explicitly that they prepared for their first ''Matrix'' production by studying the works of
John Woo
John Woo Yu-Sen SBS (; born September 22, 1946) is a Hong Kong filmmaker, known as a highly-influential figure in the action film genre. He was a pioneer of heroic bloodshed films (a crime action film genre involving Chinese triads) and the gun ...
"and other Hong Kong filmmakers", as well as reading and rereading Homer's ''
Odyssey
The ''Odyssey'' (; grc, Ὀδύσσεια, Odýsseia, ) is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by modern audiences. As with the ''Iliad'', th ...
'', and studying the works of
John Huston,
Stanley Kubrick,
Fritz Lang
Friedrich Christian Anton Lang (; December 5, 1890 – August 2, 1976), known as Fritz Lang, was an Austrian film director, screenwriter, and producer who worked in Germany and later the United States.Obituary ''Variety'', August 4, 1976, p. 6 ...
,
George Lucas,
Ridley Scott, and
Billy Wilder
Billy Wilder (; ; born Samuel Wilder; June 22, 1906 – March 27, 2002) was an Austrian-American filmmaker. His career in Hollywood spanned five decades, and he is regarded as one of the most brilliant and versatile filmmakers of Classic Hol ...
.
Mark Miller, writing in ''Wired'' in 2003, also listed
Homer
Homer (; grc, Ὅμηρος , ''Hómēros'') (born ) was a Greek poet who is credited as the author of the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Homer is considered one of the ...
,
Hermann Hesse
Hermann Karl Hesse (; 2 July 1877 – 9 August 1962) was a German-Swiss poet, novelist, and painter. His best-known works include ''Demian'', '' Steppenwolf'', '' Siddhartha'', and ''The Glass Bead Game'', each of which explores an individual's ...
,
Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky (, ; rus, Фёдор Михайлович Достоевский, Fyódor Mikháylovich Dostoyévskiy, p=ˈfʲɵdər mʲɪˈxajləvʲɪdʑ dəstɐˈjefskʲɪj, a=ru-Dostoevsky.ogg, links=yes; 11 November 18219 ...
, and philosopher
Cornel West
Cornel Ronald West (born June 2, 1953) is an American philosopher, political activist, social critic, actor, and public intellectual. The grandson of a Baptist minister, West focuses on the role of race, gender, and class in American society an ...
.
In an interview with ''
Gadfly'' in 1998 (after their first movie), the Wachowskis reiterated their influence by or enjoyment of Huston (e.g. ''
Treasure of the Sierra Madre
''The Treasure of the Sierra Madre'' (originally titled ''Der Schatz der Sierra Madre'') is a 1927 adventure novel by German author B. Traven, whose identity remains unknown. In the book, two destitute American men in Mexico of the 1920s join a ...
'') and Wilder (e.g., ''
Sunset Boulevard
Sunset Boulevard is a boulevard in the central and western part of Los Angeles, California, that stretches from the Pacific Coast Highway in Pacific Palisades east to Figueroa Street in Downtown Los Angeles. It is a major thoroughfare in ...
'' and ''
Lost Weekend''), and added to these the impacts of
Alfred Hitchcock (e.g. ''
Strangers on a Train'' and ''
Psycho''),
Roman Polanski
Raymond Roman Thierry Polański , group=lower-alpha, name=note_a ( né Liebling; 18 August 1933) is a French-Polish film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. He is the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, tw ...
(e.g. ''
Repulsion''), and
Francis Ford Coppola (the
''Godfather'' movies, and ''
The Conversation
''The Conversation'' is a 1974 American mystery thriller film written, produced, and directed by Francis Ford Coppola and starring Gene Hackman, John Cazale, Allen Garfield, Cindy Williams, Frederic Forrest, Harrison Ford, Teri Garr, and Robe ...
'').
Ken Wilber
Kenneth Earl Wilber II (born January 31, 1949) is an American philosopher and writer on transpersonal psychology and his own integral theory, a philosophy which suggests the synthesis of all human knowledge and experience.
Life and career
Wilbe ...
has been cited as an influence.
The Wachowskis admit to a love for telling multi-part stories. "Because we grew up on comic books and the
Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (, ; 3 January 1892 – 2 September 1973) was an English writer and philologist. He was the author of the high fantasy works '' The Hobbit'' and ''The Lord of the Rings''.
From 1925 to 1945, Tolkien was the Rawl ...
trilogy
A trilogy is a set of three works of art that are connected and can be seen either as a single work or as three individual works. They are commonly found in literature, film, and video games, and are less common in other art forms. Three-part wor ...
, one of the things we're interested in is bringing serial fiction to cinema," Lana has said. Lilly says: "We think movies are fairly boring and predictable. We want to screw with audiences' expectations." In terms of themes expressed in their body of work, Lana has cited "the inexplicable nature of the universe
eingin constant dialogue with our own consciousness and our consciousness actually affect
ngthe inexplicable nature of the universe",
"interconnectivity and about truth beneath the surface", "the paradox of choice and choicelessness", "transcendence ... transcending archetypal boxes, stereotypes", "race ... an important component" and "gender ... it's one of our most significant cultural subjects".
The Wachowskis cited the art of comic book artist
Geof Darrow
Geofrey "Geof" Darrow (born October 21, 1955) is an American comic book artist, best known for his work on comic series ''Shaolin Cowboy'', '' Hard Boiled'' and ''The Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot'', which was adapted into an animated televisi ...
as an influence on the look of ''The Matrix''. Also, they said that ''
Ghost in the Shell
''Ghost in the Shell'' is a Japanese cyberpunk media franchise based on the seinen manga series of the same name written and illustrated by Masamune Shirow. The manga, first serialized in 1989 under the subtitle of ''The Ghost in the Shell'' ...
'', ''
Ninja Scroll
is a 1993 Japanese animated ''jidaigeki''- ''chanbara'' film written and directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri, starring the voices of Kōichi Yamadera, Emi Shinohara, Takeshi Aono, Daisuke Gōri, Toshihiko Seki and Shūichirō Moriyama. The film was a ...
'', and ''
Akira'' were anime that inspired them, saying "in anime, one thing that they do that we tried to bring to our film was a juxtaposition of time and space in action beats".
The Wachowskis cited
Stanley Kubrick's ''
2001: A Space Odyssey'' as a major influence for ''Cloud Atlas''. They first saw the film when they were ten and seven, respectively.
Lana has most been influenced by ''2001: A Space Odyssey'', ''
Blade Runner
''Blade Runner'' is a 1982 science fiction film directed by Ridley Scott, and written by Hampton Fancher and David Peoples. Starring Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, and Edward James Olmos, it is an adaptation of Philip K. Dick' ...
'', ''
Ma vie en rose
''Ma vie en rose'' (English translation: ''My Life in Pink'') is a 1997 Franco-Belgian drama film directed by Alain Berliner. It tells the story of Ludovic, a transgender girl, and depicts her family and community struggling to accept her gender ...
'', and ''
My Neighbor Totoro
is a 1988 Japanese animated fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and animated by Studio Ghibli for Tokuma Shoten. The film—which stars the voice actors Noriko Hidaka, Chika Sakamoto, and Hitoshi Takagi—tells the story o ...
''. Both Wachowskis are fans of the ''Ghost in the Shell'', ''Akira'', ''
Wicked City'', ''Ninja Scroll'' and ''
Fist of the North Star
is a Japanese manga series written by Buronson and illustrated by Tetsuo Hara. It was serialized in Shueisha's ''shōnen'' manga magazine ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'' for 245 issues published from 1983 to 1988 and initially collected in 27 ' ...
''
anime
is hand-drawn and computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japanese, (a term derived from a shortening of ...
films.
None of the
home video
Home video is prerecorded media sold or rented for home viewing. The term originates from the VHS and Betamax era, when the predominant medium was videotapes, but has carried over to optical disc formats such as DVD, Blu-ray and streaming me ...
releases of their films feature any
deleted scene
A deleted scene is footage that has been removed from the final version of a film or television show. There are various reasons why these scenes are deleted, which include time constraints, relevance, quality or a dropped story thread. A similar o ...
s. Lana says that despite often having to cut scenes from their movies, they do not want to include deleted scenes in such releases, as this would suggest that their films suffer from incompleteness. They love their finished products and believe them complete.
For the same reason, they have not released their films for home video with
director's or
extended cuts. They also avoid recording
audio commentary
An audio commentary is an additional audio track, usually digital, consisting of a lecture or comments by one or more speakers, that plays in real time with a video. Commentaries can be serious or entertaining in nature, and can add informatio ...
tracks, having participated only on the track recorded for the
LaserDisc of ''Bound''. The sisters say they learned that offering an interpretation of their films means that viewers will be less likely to express their own interpretation.
Frequent collaborators
The Wachowskis frequently hire the same basic
film crew
A film crew is a group of people, hired by a production company, for the purpose of producing a film or motion picture. The crew is distinguished from the cast, as the cast are understood to be the actors who appear in front of the camera o ...
to make their movies. Lana says they do it in part to ensure a positive environment. "It's like family. Everyone is very respectful of each other," says Lana. They used the same practice while selecting the
television crew
Television crew positions are derived from those of film crew, but with several differences.
Pre-production
: Work before shooting begins is called the pre-production stage. The crew in this stage include the casting director, costume desig ...
for their
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fi ...
show, ''
Sense8
''Sense8'' (a play on the word '' sensate'' ) is an American science fiction drama streaming television series created by Lana and Lilly Wachowski and J. Michael Straczynski for Netflix. The production companies behind ''Sense8'' included ...
''.
Some of their most notable frequent collaborators are:
Crew members
Cast member
Film production and comic book publishing
![Theanimatrix-logo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c9/Theanimatrix-logo.svg)
During ''The Matrix Reloaded'', ''The Matrix Revolutions'', ''
The Animatrix
is a 2003 adult animated science-fiction anthology film produced by the Wachowskis. The film details through nine animated short films the backstory of ''The Matrix'' film series, including the original war between humanity and machines which l ...
'' and ''
Enter the Matrix
''Enter the Matrix'' is a 2003 action-adventure video game
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or ...
'' production, the Wachowskis created EON Entertainment (not to be confused with
Eon Productions
Eon Productions Ltd. is a British film production company that primarily produces the ''James Bond'' film series. The company is based in London's Piccadilly and also operates from Pinewood Studios in the UK.
''Bond'' films
Eon was started ...
), their production company to coordinate and direct all involved partners. It is also where the films were edited together, after the various
FX vendors sent their finished work.
EON's internal VFX team, ESC, did a number of visual effect shots for the two ''Matrix'' sequels and coordinated the other vendors.
ESC was shut down in summer 2004. Anarchos Productions (credited in ''Cloud Atlas'' as Anarchos Pictures) is their production company that has been billed for all their films starting with ''V for Vendetta'' up to the first season of ''Sense8''. In the second season and following Lilly's break from the show, Anarchos is replaced by Venus Castina Productions, a production company created by Lana Wachowski and her wife Karin Winslow.
Venus Castina
Venus Castina ('Chaste Venus') from Latin '' castus'', is claimed to be an epithet of the Roman goddess Venus; in this form, she was supposedly associated with "the yearnings of feminine souls locked up in male bodies".
Cesare Lombroso wrote that ...
is an epithet of the Roman goddess Venus, who in this form, was supposedly associated with "the yearnings of feminine souls locked up in male bodies". In the ''Sense8'' series finale, the real book ''Venus Castina: Famous Female Impersonators Celestial and Human'' makes an appearance as the unlikely object that brought a lesbian couple together; according to Lana and the actresses that portray the couple, the duo have been based on Lana and Karin.
''Kinowerks'' is their pre- and post-production and effects studio, based in the
Ravenswood neighborhood of Chicago. It has been acclaimed for its
green-friendly design, including solar panels, a planted roof, countertops and floors made of recycled materials, plug-in car stations, a water reuse and filtration system, skylights, and a pneumatic elevator.
Roger Ebert was invited to watch a restored print of ''
The Godfather
''The Godfather'' is a 1972 American crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, who co-wrote the screenplay with Mario Puzo, based on Puzo's best-selling 1969 novel of the same title. The film stars Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caa ...
'' in the ''Kinowerks'' facilities and met the Wachowskis, but he was oblivious to the fact the studio belonged to them. According to the ''
Chicago Tribune
The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television a ...
''s Christopher Pirelli, the facility is very low-key: "an industrial building that appears neither old nor especially new" and "It could be an upscale dentist's office" while the "inside is rather unexpected" and has numerous mementos of past film projects. On October 22, 2018, the Wachowskis announced their plans to close and list ''Kinowerks'' for $5 million.
In 2003, they created
Burlyman Entertainment
Burlyman Entertainment is a comic book company created by The Wachowskis, best known as the writer/director duo behind the '' Matrix Trilogy''.
History
"Burlyman" was ''The Matrix Reloaded'' and ''Revolutions production codename. According to th ...
and released comic books based on ''The Matrix'' as well as two original bi-monthly series:
* ''
Shaolin Cowboy
''Shaolin Cowboy'' is an American comic book series created, written and drawn by artist Geof Darrow (with the exception of the opening dialog in the issues of the original 2004–2007 run, written by The Wachowskis). The book was published irre ...
'' – created, written, and drawn by
Geof Darrow
Geofrey "Geof" Darrow (born October 21, 1955) is an American comic book artist, best known for his work on comic series ''Shaolin Cowboy'', '' Hard Boiled'' and ''The Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot'', which was adapted into an animated televisi ...
(the Wachowskis contributed the opening dialogue to each issue)
* ''
Doc Frankenstein
''Doc Frankenstein'' is an American comic book series created by Geof Darrow and Steve Skroce, written by the Wachowskis (Lilly and Lana, better known for their work on ''The Matrix series''), drawn by Skroce, and published by Burlyman Enterta ...
'' – created by Geof Darrow and
Steve Skroce, written by the Wachowskis, with art by Skroce.
Unrealized projects
The Wachowskis' first script was a thriller called ''Carnivore''.
It has been described as "a
Corman-style, low-budget horror movie that dealt with
cannibalism or, more specifically, rich people being eaten by cannibals".
The writing was well received and the script achieved notice for the duo;
however, interest in making the movie was low, for executives told them: "This is a bad idea. I can't make this. I'm rich."
Years later, on April 6, 1999, a week after ''The Matrix'' opened in American theaters, ''
Variety
Variety may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats
* Variety (radio)
* Variety show, in theater and television
Films
* ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont
* ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' reported
Trimark
Trimark Pictures was an American production company that specialized in the production and distribution of television and home video motion pictures. The company was formed in 1984 by Mark Amin as Vidmark Entertainment with Vidmark Inc. (later T ...
was looking to buy the script and were in talks with
George Romero
George may refer to:
People
* George (given name)
* George (surname)
* George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George
* George Washington, First President of the United States
* George W. Bush, 43rd Presid ...
to direct it with production scheduled to begin in August. In April 2001, news of the Wachowskis producing it for
Lionsgate
Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation, doing business as Lionsgate, is a Canadian-American entertainment company. It was formed by Frank Giustra on July 10, 1997, domiciled in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and is currently headquartered ...
and looking for a director surfaced again, and in August 2003 a second time, with their go-to cinematographer
Bill Pope
Bill Pope, A.S.C. (born June 19, 1952) is an American cinematographer and filmmaker known for his collaborations with directors Sam Raimi, The Wachowskis and Edgar Wright. He has also photographed and directed numerous music videos for artists like ...
rumored to be making his directorial debut with it. The film ultimately went unproduced.
Another two of their earliest scripts which were never produced were ''Plastic Man'', based on the DC Comics
superhero of the same name and ''Vertical Run'' based on the book of the same name by
Joseph R. Garber.
After completing ''The Matrix'', the Wachowskis were looking to make an animated adaptation of
Frank Miller
Frank Miller (born January 27, 1957) is an American comic book writer, penciller and inker, novelist, screenwriter, film director, and producer known for his comic book stories and graphic novels such as his run on ''Daredevil'' and subsequen ...
's ''
Hard Boiled'' graphic novel.
The comic was drawn by Geof Darrow, the conceptional designer of ''The Matrix'' and later its sequels. The project didn't move forward because Miller didn't want it to be an animated film.
In November 2000, ''Variety'' reported the Wachowskis would produce, co-create and direct second unit on a new ''
Conan the Barbarian
Conan the Barbarian (also known as Conan the Cimmerian) is a fictional sword and sorcery hero who originated in pulp magazines and has since been adapted to books, comics, films (including '' Conan the Barbarian'' and '' Conan the Destroyer'') ...
'' movie for Warner Bros. which was to be written and directed by
John Milius and which could see
Arnold Schwarzenegger make an appearance. The Wachowskis were planning to juggle their pre-production involvement on the movie and work on ''The Matrix'' sequels at the same time. In January 2004 it was reported that development on ''King Conan: Crown of Iron'' had stalled for years because of the Wachowskis' involvement in ''The Matrix'' sequels and now that the movies were complete they decided to abandon the project of their own volition because of the frequent clashes they had experienced with Milius concerning the tone and direction of the movie. Lana once suggested ''
Conan the Barbarian
Conan the Barbarian (also known as Conan the Cimmerian) is a fictional sword and sorcery hero who originated in pulp magazines and has since been adapted to books, comics, films (including '' Conan the Barbarian'' and '' Conan the Destroyer'') ...
'' as her favorite movie based on comics, to which Lilly also responded enthusiastically.
In 2008,
the Wachowskis were producing for
Madhouse an animated film based on their
comic book company's ''Shaolin Cowboy'', titled ''Shaolin Cowboy in The Tomb of Doom''.
The feature is co-directed by the comic book's creator Geof Darrow and
Seiji Mizushima
is a Japanese anime director who is known for such series as '' Shaman King'', '' Fullmetal Alchemist'', ''Mobile Suit Gundam 00'', '' Un-Go'', and ''Concrete Revolutio''. His first directorial film project, '' Fullmetal Alchemist the Movie: Con ...
, a Japanese director.
When the American financiers backed out, the film was left half-finished and in need of $3 million. Darrow does not believe that the required amount of money to finish it will be found.
In December 2009,
Arianna Huffington
Arianna Stassinopoulos Huffington (née Ariadnē-Anna Stasinopoúlou, el, Αριάδνη-Άννα Στασινοπούλου ; born July 15, 1950) is a Greek-American author, syndicated columnist and businesswoman. She is a co-founder of '' Th ...
tweeted pictures of herself on the set of "a Wachowskis movie on Iraq from the perspective of the future". ''
CHUD.com'' reported what the Wachowskis were doing was camera tests and shooting of test footage on the
Red digital camera for a future movie, but not shooting the movie itself. In March 2010,
Jesse Ventura
Jesse Ventura (born James George Janos; July 15, 1951) is an American politician, actor, and retired professional wrestler. After achieving fame in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), he served as the 38th governor of Minnesota from 1999 to 2 ...
said he had also shot for the project right before Huffington. Both of them were dressed as people from roughly 100 years in the future and they were asked to improvize without a script about the
Iraq War
{{Infobox military conflict
, conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق ( Kurdish)
, partof = the Iraq conflict and the War on terror
, image ...
. In May 2010, ''Deadline'' reported the movie was going to be a hard-R story that would begin in the future but move back to the then-current war in Iraq and center on the homosexual relationship between an American soldier and an Iraqi. The Wachowskis completed the script and were searching for funding to direct it. In July 2010, the movie was reported to have begun casting under the codename ''CN9'' (or ''CN-9''), and in August 2010 the full name was revealed as ''Cobalt Neural 9''. In September 2010, ''Vulture'' posted additional details about the script and revealed the movie would be told in
found footage-style from the perspective of
digital archaeologists from the future. An estimated $20 million budget was reported although they were told a studio would "never, ever" finance it but perhaps the Wachowskis could do it themselves. In December 2010, ''
The Hollywood Reporter
''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Hollywood film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade paper, and in 2010 switched to a weekly larg ...
'' wrote that
Salman Rushdie
Sir Ahmed Salman Rushdie (; born 19 June 1947) is an Indian-born British-American novelist. His work often combines magic realism with historical fiction and primarily deals with connections, disruptions, and migrations between Eastern and We ...
and
Cornel West
Cornel Ronald West (born June 2, 1953) is an American philosopher, political activist, social critic, actor, and public intellectual. The grandson of a Baptist minister, West focuses on the role of race, gender, and class in American society an ...
had also shot talking head sequences along with the previously reported involvement of Huffington and Ventura but the Wachowskis were looking into other movies because of troubles financing it.
In September 2012,
Aleksandar Hemon
Aleksandar Hemon ( sr-Cyrl, Александар Xeмoн; born September 9, 1964) is a Bosnian-American author, essayist, critic, television writer, and screenwriter. He is best known for the novels '' Nowhere Man'' (2002) and '' The Lazarus Pr ...
wrote about the making of ''Cloud Atlas'' and recalled he too was one of the people the Wachowskis had invited to interview in December 2009, to help inspire the script of ''Cobalt Neural 9''.
The last update on the film was in October 2012, when the Wachowskis were asked about it and they responded they were still keen to make it, because they had invested both financially ($5 million) and emotionally into it, even if that ends up being in a different form than film.
In December 2010, ''The Hollywood Reporter'' wrote that the Wachowskis were planning to direct for Warner Bros. a script of theirs called ''Hood'', which was a modern adaptation of the
Robin Hood
Robin Hood is a legendary heroic outlaw originally depicted in English folklore and subsequently featured in literature and film. According to legend, he was a highly skilled archer and swordsman. In some versions of the legend, he is dep ...
legend. The Wachowskis were said to be reaching out to actors, including
Will Smith
Willard Carroll Smith II (born September 25, 1968), also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor and rapper. He began his acting career starring as a fictionalized version of himself on the NBC sitcom '' The Fresh ...
.
Personal lives
Lilly married Alisa Blasingame in 1991. In 2016, Lilly mentioned having a boyfriend.
In 2019, she said Mickey Ray Mahoney became her partner and moved in with her. Mahoney is an adjunct professor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a
trans man
A trans man is a man who was assigned female at birth. The label of transgender man is not always interchangeable with that of transsexual man, although the two labels are often used in this way. ''Transgender'' is an umbrella term that inc ...
.
Lana married Thea Bloom in 1993. Following the release of ''The Matrix'', Lana began attending the Los Angeles
BDSM
BDSM is a variety of often erotic practices or roleplaying involving bondage, discipline, dominance and submission, sadomasochism, and other related interpersonal dynamics. Given the wide range of practices, some of which may be engaged ...
club The Dungeon, where she met Karin Winslow, who worked there as a
dominatrix
A dominatrix (; ) or femdom is a woman who takes the dominant role in BDSM activities. A dominatrix can be of any sexual orientation, but this does not necessarily limit the genders of her submissive partners. Dominatrices are known for infli ...
under the name Ilsa Strix. Bloom divorced Lana in 2002 after discovering the relationship. Lana and Karin made their first public appearance together at the premier of ''The Matrix Reloaded'' in 2003, and married in 2009.
Winslow is a board member of the Chicago House and Social Service Agency.
Raised by a "hardcore
atheist" father and an "ex-
Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
turned
Shamanist
Shamanism is a religious practice that involves a practitioner (shaman) interacting with what they believe to be a spirit world through altered states of consciousness, such as trance. The goal of this is usually to direct spirits or spiritu ...
" mother,
the duo once described their religious beliefs as
non-denominational.
Lana is a vegetarian. During the
Democratic Party presidential primaries of 2016, ''
The Advocate'' posted a video message of Lana talking about why she would be supporting
Bernie Sanders.
Lana's gender transition
Rumors that Lana Wachowski was
transitioning spread in the early 2000s, though neither sister spoke directly on the subject at the time.
In 2003, ''
Gothamist'' reported the possible transition. In a 2007 interview,
Joel Silver
Joel Silver (born July 14, 1952) is an American film producer.
Life and career
Silver was born and raised in South Orange, New Jersey, the son of a writer and a public relations executive. His family is Jewish. He attended Columbia High School i ...
, the producer of numerous Wachowski films, said that the rumors concerning the transition were "all untrue", saying that "they just don't do interviews, so people make things up." Crew members working on ''Speed Racer'' said similar things.
Lana publicly revealed her transition after ''Speed Racer''s release in 2008 and by at least December 2010, after which trade magazines and newspapers referred to her as "Lana Wachowski",
and to the duo as "Andy and Lana Wachowski".
On some documents her name is shown as Laurenca Wachowski. In July 2012, Lana made her first public appearance after transitioning, in a video discussing the creative process behind ''Cloud Atlas''. Lana is the first major Hollywood director to come out as transgender.
In a September 2012 interview with
Aleksandar Hemon
Aleksandar Hemon ( sr-Cyrl, Александар Xeмoн; born September 9, 1964) is a Bosnian-American author, essayist, critic, television writer, and screenwriter. He is best known for the novels '' Nowhere Man'' (2002) and '' The Lazarus Pr ...
of ''
The New Yorker
''The New Yorker'' is an American weekly magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. Founded as a weekly in 1925, the magazine is published 47 times annually, with five of these issues ...
'', Lana described an incident in third grade at Catholic School when she was hesitant to join the boys' line and unconsciously accepted herself as belonging to the girls'.
In October 2012, Lana Wachowski received the
Human Rights Campaign's Visibility Award.
In her acceptance speech, she revealed that once during her youth, she had considered suicide because of her feelings of confusion about her
gender identity
Gender identity is the personal sense of one's own gender. Gender identity can correlate with a person's assigned sex or can differ from it. In most individuals, the various biological determinants of sex are congruent, and consistent with the ...
. Her acceptance speech was one of the longest public appearances by either of the reclusive sisters. Lana said that, although she and Lilly had not publicly commented on her transitioning during the previous decade, it was not because she was ashamed of it, nor had she kept it a secret from her family and friends. Rather, she stated, the two are generally shy about the news media and prefer to maintain their privacy. Comparing media exposure to losing one's virginity as an irreversible event that only happens once, the Wachowskis had tried to stay out of the public eye. They feared losing their privacy and the ability to go to public places without being noticed and harassed as celebrities.
Explaining her decision to appear at the HRC event, Lana said:
There are some things we do for ourselves, but there are some things we do for others. I am here because when I was young, I wanted very badly to be a writer, I wanted to be a filmmaker, but I couldn't find anyone like me in the world and it felt like my dreams were foreclosed simply because my gender was less typical than others. If I can be that person for someone else, then the sacrifice of my private civic life may have value.
In February 2014, Lana received the Freedom Award from
Equality Illinois
Equality Illinois (EI) was founded in 1991 to work towards building a better Illinois by advancing equal treatment and social justice through education, advocacy, and protection of the rights of the LGBT community.
Structure
The Equality Illinois ...
at their annual gala in Chicago.
Lilly's gender transition
In March 2016, Lilly Wachowski also came out as a transgender woman, issuing a statement to the ''
Windy City Times
''Windy City Times'' is an LGBT newspaper in Chicago that published its first issue on September 26, 1985.
History
''Windy City Times'' was founded in 1985 by Jeff McCourt, Bob Bearden, Drew Badanish and Tracy Baim, who started Sentury Publicat ...
'' after a visit from a reporter from the ''
Daily Mail'' newspaper who had attempted to get an interview with her about it.
In that article, she said, "I am one of the lucky ones. Having the support of my family and the means to afford doctors and therapists has given me the chance to actually survive this process. Transgender people without support, means and privilege do not have this luxury. And many do not survive."
Her first public appearance since beginning transitioning was a few weeks later, at the
27th GLAAD Media Awards, where she accepted an award for her Netflix series ''Sense8'' for Outstanding Drama Series. She said, "I didn't feel obligated to be here, but I wanted to do something. And it's serendipitous that the awards were a couple of weeks later and our show was up for an award."
Gaming
The Wachowskis are self-proclaimed
gamers. As teens, they spent their weekends in the attic playing ''
Dungeons & Dragons
''Dungeons & Dragons'' (commonly abbreviated as ''D&D'' or ''DnD'') is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game (RPG) originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The game was first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. (TS ...
''.
They liken the process of their gaming sessions to their process of filmmaking. Along with some of their friends, they wrote a 350-page
role-playing game of their own called ''High Adventure''.
On the video game front, they had been exchanging letters with
Hideo Kojima and met him during a ''
Famitsu
formerly ''Famicom Tsūshin'', is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Kadokawa Game Linkage (previously known as Gzbrain), a subsidiary of Kadokawa. ''Famitsu'' is published in both weekly and monthly formats as well as in the f ...
'' interview in late 1999. ''
Metal Gear Solid
is a series of techno-thriller stealth games created by Hideo Kojima. Developed and published by Konami, the first game, ''Metal Gear'', was released in 1987 for MSX home computers. The player often takes control of a special forces opera ...
'' was the first video game they played after finishing work on ''The Matrix''. Candidates for an adaptation of the first ''Matrix'' movie to video game form included Kojima,
Bungie
Bungie, Inc. is an American video game company based in Bellevue, Washington. It is a studio owned by Sony Interactive Entertainment. The company was established in May 1991 by Alex Seropian, who later brought in programmer Jason Jones afte ...
and
Shiny Entertainment
Shiny Entertainment, Inc. was an American video game developer based in Laguna Beach, California. Founded in October 1993 by David Perry, Shiny was the creator of video games such as ''Earthworm Jim'', '' MDK'' and ''Enter the Matrix''. Perry ...
, whose ''
Messiah
In Abrahamic religions, a messiah or messias (; ,
; ,
; ) is a saviour or liberator of a group of people. The concepts of '' mashiach'', messianism, and of a Messianic Age originated in Judaism, and in the Hebrew Bible, in which a ''mashiach ...
''
PC game impressed them.
Shiny's
David Perry, who ultimately had his company develop and collaborate with them on the ''
Enter the Matrix
''Enter the Matrix'' is a 2003 action-adventure video game
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or ...
'' and ''
The Matrix: Path of Neo'' video games, was impressed with their familiarity with the medium; this proved helpful during development. The Wachowskis owned both a
PlayStation 2 and
Xbox
Xbox is a video gaming brand created and owned by Microsoft. The brand consists of five video game consoles, as well as applications (games), streaming services, an online service by the name of Xbox network, and the development arm by the ...
video game console
A video game console is an electronic device that outputs a video signal or image to display a video game that can be played with a game controller. These may be home consoles, which are generally placed in a permanent location connected to ...
and played several games such as ''
Splinter Cell
''Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell'' is a series of stealth action-adventure video games, the first of which was released in 2002, and their tie-in novels that were endorsed by Tom Clancy. The series follows Sam Fisher, a highly trained agent of a ...
'' and ''
Halo 2
''Halo 2'' is a 2004 first-person shooter game developed by Bungie and published by Microsoft Game Studios for the Xbox console. ''Halo 2'' is the second installment in the ''Halo'' franchise and the sequel to 2001's critically acclaimed '' ...
''.
They reportedly destroyed their Xbox during a ''Halo''
deathmatch.
Actor
Collin Chou
Collin Chou (born 11 August 1967), sometimes credited as Ngai Sing, is a Taiwanese actor and martial artist.
Personal life
Chou attended Pierce Community College in Los Angeles, United States. In addition to his native Mandarin, he also spe ...
recounts an instance of visiting their office and finding them playing video games on the floor. Lilly is a fan of the ''
Death Jr.
''Death Jr.'' is a 2005 video game for the PlayStation Portable. The PSP iteration was the first PSP game shown publicly and advertised as a killer-app. It was released to a mixed reception and noted for numerous problems about the camera, gamepl ...
''
PlayStation Portable game.
Asked about their feelings about turning the tightly controlled ''Matrix'' saga to the unpredictable form of an
MMORPG with ''
The Matrix Online
''The Matrix Online'' (abbreviated as ''MxO'') was a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) initially developed by Monolith Productions and later, a few months after launch, by Sony Online Entertainment. It was advertised as ...
'', the duo appeared enthusiastic about the nature and possibilities of video games:
Box office
Works
Films
Television
Video games
Comic books
Music videos
''The Matrix (franchise)#Official, The Art of the Matrix'' book credits them for including their screenplay and additional art. The Wachowskis also wrote an introduction to the 2005 published ''Ex Machina (comics)#Collected editions, Vol. 2: Tag'' Trade paperback (comics), trade paperback of ''Ex Machina (comics), Ex Machina'' comic book, being big fans of it. Additionally Lana Wachowski wrote the introduction to the 2012 published ''No Straight Lines: Four Decades of Queer Comics'' collection of
LGBT
' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity.
The LGBT term ...
Q comic book stories.
Additionally classifying themselves as "lifelong rabid Bulls fans" they created a revamped introductory animation for Chicago Bulls to open the 2006–07 NBA season, 2006–2007 regular season.
See also
* List of transgender film and television directors
Notes
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wachowski
Living people
20th-century American screenwriters
21st-century American screenwriters
21st-century American women writers
Action film directors
American comics writers
American film producers
American people of Polish descent
American video game directors
American women film directors
American women screenwriters
English-language film directors
LGBT film directors
LGBT people from Illinois
LGBT producers
LGBT comics creators
American LGBT writers
Science fiction film directors
Screenwriting duos
Showrunners
Sibling duos
Sibling filmmakers
Transgender women
Transgender writers
Video game writers
Whitney M. Young Magnet High School alumni
Women and video games
Women science fiction and fantasy writers
Writers from Chicago
Marvel Comics people
American women film producers
Screenwriters from Illinois
American women television producers
American women television writers
Female comics writers
Filmmaking duos
American television writers
1965 births
1967 births
LGBT television directors
Postmodernist filmmakers