Lilly Wachowski to Direct Queer Dramedy ‘Trash Mountain’

Lilly Wachowski is officially making her solo feature directorial debut after sister Lana Wachowski helmed “The Matrix Resurrections.”

As confirmed to Collider, Lilly will direct upcoming queer dramedy “Trash Mountain,” with lead actor Caleb Hearon penning the script. Colin Trevorrow has signed on as a producer, along with Eddie Vaisman and Julia Lebedev at Sight Unseen.

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Per the official synopsis, “Trash Mountain” follows a gay Chicago man in his 20s who must return to rural Missouri to deal with the death of his father — an obsessive hoarder who has left a house full of items, some valuable and some not so, to pick through. “Human Resources” writer and “Fargo” actor Hearon cowrote the script with Ruby Caster.

“When my pal Caleb Hearon sent me ‘Trash Mountain,’ I leapt at the chance to direct it,” Lilly said in a statement. “So beautiful and sad and funny! Queer representation and stories are vital at this time as we are being shoved further into the margins. Our amazing writers, Caleb and Ruby are a shining light in all this dang darkness.”

Producer Trevorrow added, “Caleb Hearon and Ruby Caster are true originals and Lilly Wachowski is a living legend. I’m insanely lucky to call them collaborators and friends.”

The feature marks Lilly’s first movie since 2015’s “Jupiter Ascending.” Since then, she has served as the writer, director, and showrunner of series “Work in Progress.” Lana Wachowski solo directed trilogy installment “The Matrix Resurrections” in 2021 sans Lilly.

The project comes on the heels of other famed sibling co-directors opting to helm solo projects. Ethan Coen most recently directed “Drive Away Dolls,” co-written with wife Tricia Cooke, after brother Joel Coen helmed “The Tragedy of Macbeth” by himself in 2021. Ethan will also direct “Honey Don’t!” solo; he teased that he is co-writing a script with Joel, though, for a future joint project.

The Safdie brothers also have gone their separate ways, with IndieWire confirming Josh Safdie will direct the upcoming yet-untitled Adam Sandler “Uncut Gems” reunion Netflix film by himself. Benny Safdie will make his fellow solo directorial debut with A24 film “The Smashing Machine” about the life of MMA fighter Mark Kerr, played by Dwayne Johnson.

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