Story perspectives

Studios Reject $10M Thriller Over All-Trans Cast

8/15/2026

Summary

Story summary

Hollywood studios refuse to finance Lilly Wachowski’s $10 million thriller The Hunted because it features an all-trans cast.
Wachowski co-wrote the script with Mickey Ray Mahoney, and she is developing it with Natasha Lyonne’s Ariadne collective, staging a table read at Dynasty Typewriter on August 7-8.
On KCRW’s The Business podcast Wachowski said people like the script but won’t fund it, and she will pursue alternatives, calling the screenplay a response to anti-trans oppression.

History

Historical Context

In 1995, the documentary *The Celluloid Closet* examined Hollywood’s portrayal of transgender characters, bringing the issue to a national audience. Since then, calls for broader inclusion have persisted, and today filmmaker Lilly Wachowski reports that studios still reject trans-focused projects. The ongoing resistance underscores the industry's slow progress toward authentic representation.

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Story summary

Hollywood studios refuse to finance Lilly Wachowski’s $10 million thriller The Hunted because it features an all-trans cast.
Wachowski co-wrote the script with Mickey Ray Mahoney, and she is developing it with Natasha Lyonne’s Ariadne collective, staging a table read at Dynasty Typewriter on August 7-8.
On KCRW’s The Business podcast Wachowski said people like the script but won’t fund it, and she will pursue alternatives, calling the screenplay a response to anti-trans oppression.

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