Before Trilogy: All 3 Before Movies In Order (2024 Updated)

Written By Charles Eames
Last updated: December 2, 2022

The first installment of the Before Trilogy, Before Sunrise, was released in 1995. It follows Jesse, an American tourist, and Celine, a French student, who meet on a train and spend a night together in Vienna. The movie became a huge cult classic, and fans waited nine long years for the second movie.

After the release of Before Sunset in 2004, it was pretty clear that there would be a third movie. It took another nine years for Before Midnight to come out, and it was definitely worth the wait. The Trilogy is now complete, and fans can watch all three movies back-to-back to get the full story.

If you’re a fan of the Before Trilogy, then you’ll definitely want to check out the movies in order of release. That way, you can watch the story unfold chronologically and see how Jesse and Celine’s relationship changes over time.

Before movies tell a romantic, time-traveling story of two lovers, who are separated by death but find one another again in different eras, it is one of the most successful independent film franchises of all time. There are three movies in the series, all written and directed by Richard Linklater.

List of All Before Movies in Order of Release

Before Movies In Order
  1. Before Sunrise (1995)
  2. Before Sunset (2004)
  3. Before Midnight (2013)

Before Sunrise (1995)

Before Movies In Order

Director: Richard Linklater | Writers: Richard Linklater, Kim Krizan | Stars: Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, Andrea Eckert | Country of origin: United States, Austria | Runtime: The runtime of the movie is 1 hour and 41 minutes. | Release Date: January 27, 1995 | Language: The languages are English, German and French. | Genres: The movie genres are drama and romance. | Filming Locations: Cafe Sperl, Gumpendorfer Strasse 11, Vienna, Austria | Production Companies: Castle Rock Entertainment, Detour Filmproduction, Filmhaus Wien Universa Film Productions | Budget: The budget for the movie was $2.5 million. | Box Office: The film grossed $5.9 million.

The first movie was released in 1995 and was named one of the best films of the year by The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Time Magazine. The movie follows the story of Jesse, an American tourist, and Celine, a French student, who meet on a train and spend a night together in Vienna.

The movie is incredibly romantic, and you can’t help but fall in love with the city of Vienna as you watch Jesse and Celine wander around, talking about life and love.

The movie was directed by Richard Linklater, written by Richard Linklater and Kim Krizan, and stars Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, and Andrea Eckert. Before Sunrise grossed $5.9 million at the box office and was made on a budget of $2.5 million.

The movie starts with Celine Traveling on a Train; She then meets Jesse. They both get down to Vienna and spend the night together.

They walk around the city and Learn about each other. Noticing that they share an interest in Books, music, and movies. They then go to a cafe called “Blue Danube” and have a long conversation about Life and Love. 

When the station in Vienna arrives, They have to say goodbye to each other, Jesse asks Celine to come with him to America, but she refuses because she has to return to Paris the next day. They spend the rest of the night talking and eventually fall asleep in each other’s arms.

In the morning, they both wake up, and Jesse convinces Celine to get off the train with him and spend the day together. The movie ends with them both realizing they have a connection and might meet again.

Before Sunset (2004)

Before Movies In Order

Director: Richard Linklater | Writers: Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke | Stars: Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, Vernon Dobtcheff | Country of origin: United States, France | Runtime: The runtime of the movie is 1 hour and 39 minutes. | Release Date: July 30, 2004 | Language: The languages are English and French. | Genres: The movie genres are drama and romance. | Filming Locations: Seine River, Paris, France | Production Companies: Castle Rock Entertainment, Detour Film production, Warner Independent Pictures (WIP) | Budget: The budget for the movie was $2.7 million. | Box Office: The film grossed $15.8 million.

The second movie was released in 2004 and picked up nine years after the first movie. Jesse is now a successful novelist, and Celine works as an environmentalist. The two characters reunite in Paris, and the movie follows their conversation as they walk around the city.

The movie is just as romantic as the first, and you can’t help but feel the connection between Jesse and Celine as they catch up on the years they’ve missed.

The movie was directed by Richard Linklater, written by Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, and Ethan Hawke, and stars Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, and Vernon Dobtcheff. Before, Sunset grossed $15.8 million at the box office and was made on a budget of $2.7 million.

Jesse has written a novel named “Before Sunrise” based on his night with Celine nine years ago. He is doing a book tour in Europe, and his last stop is Paris. Celine has heard about his book and decides to attend his reading.

They then go for a walk and catch up on each other’s lives. It is revealed that Jesse is married with a son, and Celine is in a relationship with a photographer.

They eventually end up at Celine’s apartment, where they spend the night talking. The next morning they say goodbye, and Jesse leaves for the airport. As he is leaving, Celine tells him that she wishes they had more time together. The movie ends with them both realizing that they still have feelings for each other.

Further, they decide to meet again in six months’ time at the top of the Eiffel Tower. 

Before Midnight (2013)

Before Movies In Order

Director: Richard Linklater | Writers: Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke | Stars: Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick | Country of origin: United States, Greece | Runtime: The runtime of the movie is 1 hour and 49 minutes. | Release Date: June 14, 2013 | Language: The languages are English, Greek, and French. | Genres: The movie genres are drama and romance. | Filming Locations: The Westin Resort Costa Navarino, Messinia, Greece | Production Companies: Castle Rock Entertainment, Faliro House Productions, Venture Forth | Budget: The budget for the movie was $3 million. | Box Office: The film grossed $23.3 million.

The third movie was released in 2013 and is set eighteen years after the first movie. Jesse and Celine are now married to twin girls, and the movie follows their relationship as they deal with the ups and downs of married life. The movie is just as realistic as the first two, and you can’t help but feel for Jesse and Celine as they try to figure out their lives.

The movie was directed by Richard Linklater, written by Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, and Ethan Hawke, and stars Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, and Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick. Before Midnight grossed $23.3 million at the box office and was made on a budget of $3 million.

The movie continues the story of Jesse and Celine, who are now married to twin girls. The movie follows their relationship as they deal with the ups and downs of married life. The movie is just as realistic as the first two, and you can’t help but feel for Jesse and Celine as they try to figure out their lives. 

Jesse has become a famous novelist, while Celine has given up her dream of being a writer and is now working for an environmental organization. The couple is vacationing in Greece with their girls when the movie starts.

From there, we see them dealing with the mundane aspects of married life, such as Jesse working on his next book while Celine tries to get him to spend more time with the family. 

We also see them struggling with bigger issues, such as infidelity and whether or not they want to have another child. The movie ends with them both realizing that they still love each other and that their relationship is worth fighting for.

Movies in order by IMDB Rating

MoviesRating on IMDB
Before Sunrise 8.1/10
Before Sunset 8.1/10
Before Midnight 7.9/10

Other Popular Trilogies To Binge Watch

FAQs

Are All of The Before Movies Part of The Same Series?

Yes, all three of the before movies are part of the same series. The movies follow the story of Jesse and Celine, who first meet in Vienna in 1995. They then met again in Paris in 2004 and finally in Greece in 2013. The movies chronicle their relationship as they deal with the ups and downs of life.

What Are The Before Movies About?

The before movies are about the relationship between Jesse and Celine. The first movie, Before Sunrise, is about their night together in Vienna. The second movie, Before Sunset, is about their reunion in Paris nine years later. The third movie, Before Midnight, is about their marriage and life together in Greece.

Do I Need To Have Seen The First Movie Before Watching The Second?

No, you don’t need to have seen the first movie before watching the second. However, it will help you understand the characters and their relationship better if you do.

What Is The Best Before Movie?

There is no definitive answer to this question as it is subjective. However, many consider Before Midnight the best of the three movies.

Do The Movies Have Happy Endings?

The endings of the before movies are left open-ended, which allows viewers to interpret them however they want. Jesse and Celine’s relationship is far from perfect, but they always seem to find their way back to each other in the end.

What Are The Critics Saying About The Movies?

The critics are generally positive about the before movies. They praise the movies for their realistic portrayal of relationships and the strong chemistry between Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke.

Are The Before Movies Connected?

Yes, the before movies are connected. They follow the story of Jesse and Celine, who first meet in Vienna in 1995. They then met again in Paris in 2004 and finally in Greece in 2013. The movies chronicle their relationship as they deal with the ups and downs of life.

What Is The Before Midnight Movie Rating?

The Before Midnight movie rating is R.

Conclusion

The Before Trilogy is one of the most iconic and well-loved movie series of all time. If you’re looking for a trilogy to binge-watch, these movies are definitely worth your time.

This article discussed everything you need to know about the Before Trilogy. We also answered some commonly asked questions about the movies. Finally, we provided a list of other popular trilogies that you might enjoy binge-watching.

I hope you enjoyed this article. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to reach out to me. I would love to hear from you.

Charles Eames

Hey, My name is Charles Eames, I am a designer, filmmaker, and lover of photographic arts. And I usually write about movies, Famous/Influential People. I am running this blog with my girlfriend Bernice.

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