How to watch
Before Movie Watch Order in the correct order
How to watch the Before movies in order
Last updated: August 5 2026
Written by: ChronoAlice
Richard Linklater's Before trilogy is one of cinema's great romantic sagas, following Jesse and Céline across nearly two decades. Watching it in the right order matters because each film builds emotionally and thematically on the last conversation.
Few film trilogies feel as intimate and lived-in as the Before series. Spread across 18 years of real-world filmmaking, the movies let audiences grow alongside Jesse and Céline as their relationship changes from youthful possibility to adult complexity. Because each chapter reflects a different stage of life, this is a franchise where order matters more than ever.
🕐 Release Order
Release order is the definitive way to experience the Before trilogy, since each movie was made years apart and intentionally reflects the passage of time.
- Before Sunrise (1995)
- Before Sunset (2004)
- Before Midnight (2013)
Unlike sprawling fantasy or action franchises, the Before films don't have alternate timelines or prequels to untangle, so the story chronology is refreshingly straightforward.
📖 Story Chronology
Story chronology matches release order exactly, following Jesse and Céline from their first meeting to later reunions and the realities of long-term love.
- Before Sunrise (1995)
- Before Sunset (2004)
- Before Midnight (2013)
Which Order Should You Choose?
Choose release order without hesitation. The emotional power of the Before trilogy comes from seeing the characters age, reconnect, and change at the same pace the filmmakers and audience did. Starting anywhere else would weaken the slow accumulation of memory, longing, and history that makes these films so special.
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