Lilly Wachowski says Hollywood shuns $10 million trans-led action film

Lilly Wachowski, known for directing The Matrix franchise, announced plans for a new action movie titled The Hunted and is seeking $10 million in financing. She claims Hollywood studios are reluctant to back the project because it features a wall-to-wall transgender cast, even though she believes the story has appeal. Wachowski, who came out as a woman in 2016, said the script reflects her reaction to the treatment of trans individuals and serves as a cathartic outlet for her anger.

She acknowledged that her post-Matrix films—Speed Racer, Cloud Atlas and Jupiter Ascending—performed poorly at the box office, which could also hinder investment. The director emphasized the importance of the film for trans representation and expressed determination to find alternative ways to bring it to audiences.