Abheet Gupta 
After delivering two distinctly different projects in 2023—Hit Man (wide release in 2024), a charming crowd-pleaser, and the under-the-radar docuseries God Save Texas: Hometown Prison—the endlessly prolific Richard Linklater is back in 2025 with two ambitious new features. Both films are artistic love letters to different eras and disciplines of art: one a heartfelt homage to Broadway – Blue Moon, and the other a cinephile’s dream exploring the roots of the French New Wave – Nouvelle Vague. But when are they exactly releasing for the audience and what will they be about? Let us find out!
Blue Moon Movie Release Date, Plot, Cast and More
Premiering earlier this year at Berlinale to critical acclaim, Blue Moon is Linklater’s most mature and emotionally intricate work in years. Now, Sony Pictures Classics has confirmed a Fall 2025 U.S. release window, as per the official CinemaCon program guide. With a 96% score on Rotten Tomatoes, the film is already positioning itself as a potential awards season contender.
As for the plot, billed as “a funny Valentine to old Broadway,” the film takes place on March 31, 1943, the historic night of the opening of Oklahoma!. Inside Sardi’s bar in New York, legendary lyricist Lorenz Hart (played by Ethan Hawke) battles his shattered self-confidence while his former writing partner Richard Rodgers celebrates their biggest career success without him. The narrative explores Hart’s inner turmoil, personal regrets, and creative legacy. The film stars:
- Ethan Hawke as Lorenz Hart
- Margaret Qualley as Elizabeth Weiland
- Bobby Cannavale as Eddie
- Andrew Scott as Richard Rodgers
- Jonah Lees as Morty Rifkin
- Simon Delaney as Oscar Hammerstein II
- Cillian Sullivan as Stephen Sondheim
- Patrick Kennedy as E. B. White
- John Doran as Weegee
With Linklater’s seasoned direction and Robert Kaplow’s screenplay, Blue Moon is said to be a poignant, character-driven portrait of artistic identity and the melancholia of being left behind.
Nouvelle Vague Movie Release Date, Plot, Cast and More
Linklater’s second offering of the year, Nouvelle Vague, is a stylized, cinephilic tribute to the French New Wave, dramatizing the making of Jean-Luc Godard’s legendary debut Breathless. French distributor ARP Sélection has confirmed an October 8, 2025 release date in France, and the film runs for 105 minutes. While still awaiting U.S. distribution, the film is expected to premiere at a major festival—possibly Cannes 2025.
Shot in a visual style reminiscent of Godard’s 1960s films, Nouvelle Vague chronicles the interpersonal drama, rebellion, and innovation that birthed a cinematic revolution. From café discussions on auteur theory to chaotic shoots on Parisian streets, the film celebrates a radical era of filmmaking that broke every rule. The film stars:
- Guillaume Marbeck as Jean-Luc Godard
- Zoey Deutch as Jean Seberg
- Aubry Dullin as Jean-Paul Belmondo
- Adrien Rouyard as François Truffaut
- Antoine Besson as Claude Chabrol
- Roxane Rivière as Agnès Varda
- Jean-Jacques Le Vessier as Jean Cocteau
- Côme Thieulin as Éric Rohmer
- Laurent Mothe as Roberto Rossellini
- Jonas Marmy as Jacques Rivette
Given Linklater’s reputation for thoughtful character studies and a lifelong passion for film history, Nouvelle Vague may prove to be his most cinephilic venture yet.
With two vastly different but equally intriguing projects, 2025 is shaping up to be another remarkable year for Richard Linklater. Stay tuned as we await the official U.S. release dates, festival announcements, and—hopefully—a return to Oscar glory for one of indie cinema’s most enduring voices. Oh and don’t forget his ongoing highly ambitious 20 year long production – Merrily We Roll Along starring Paul Mesal. We sure hope all of us live to see the day it releases!
If you have any questions regarding Blue Moon or Nouvelle Vague, feel free to ask in the comments below. For more content, stay tuned. As usual, like, subscribe and share our articles as we here are trying to build a community of people High on Cinema!
