Joshua Goldman
Joshua Goldman
min read · August 10, 2025 · Entertainment

Texan Titans: How Harrelson and McConaughey Plan to Reboot Macho Hollywood

When it comes to resisting the herd-like ‘group think’ of Hollywood, Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey (pictured in Texas at an MLS game between Austin FC and Colorado Rapids), have inherited the famous commitment to independence known to Texans

The Battle for Hollywood: How Texas is Stealing the Show and Taking Down Woke Culture

In a shocking twist, two of Hollywood's most beloved stars, Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey, have joined forces with fellow Texans Dennis Quaid and Renee Zellweger to take down the Left-wing reign in Tinseltown. The duo has been vocal about their disdain for the industry's "chasing its own tail" and its obsession with woke culture.

In a recent promotional film, True To Texas, Harrelson and McConaughey were seen driving down a sun-scorched desert highway, discussing the state of Hollywood. "You ever wonder if this industry of ours is just chasing its own tail?" Harrelson asked. McConaughey replied, "Restrictions, regulations, nickel-and-diming productions, political lectures: Hollywood is a flat circle. Round and round, like a record with the sound off."

The two actors as hard-bitten police detectives Rust Cohle (left) and Marty Hartin in the first series of the gritty drama True Detective, in 2014

The exchange was more than just a nostalgic nod to their time on True Detective; it marked the beginning of a revolution. With the help of their new allies in Texas, they're aiming to create an alternative to the woke-dominated Hollywood machine.

But what's behind this sudden shift? It all started when Governor Greg Abbott signed SB22, a sweeping film and TV incentive Bill that earmarks $1.5 billion over the next decade to attract big-budget productions to Texas. The catch? To qualify for funding, projects will have to adhere to "standards of decency and respect" – a euphemism for conservative values.

In other words, Texas is about to become the new Hollywood, and it's taking aim at wokeness with its sights set on promoting traditional American values. Insiders claim that conservative politicians are already policing social issues like abortion, gun rights, and immigration, making it clear that this isn't just a friendly takeover – it's a full-blown coup.

This year’s Snow White, featuring a Latina main character, played by Rachel Zegler, and CGI dwarfs, failed at the box office

As the news spread, panic set in among California's leaders, who have been struggling to keep up with the exodus of production companies fleeing Los Angeles for more tax-friendly locations. "It's cheaper to bring 100 people to Ireland than to walk across the lot at Fox," actor Rob Lowe lamented.

And it seems like Hollywood is running out of excuses. The industry has become increasingly vulnerable to climate disasters, wildfires, and floods – not to mention its addiction to stultifying sequels and superhero films that fail to captivate audiences. It's no wonder that veteran journalist Paul Bond described the industry as "demonizing Right-wingers with Leftist messages."

But don't count on Hollywood giving up without a fight. A new player has entered the scene: Founders Films, backed by tech barons linked to Palantir and its chief technology officer Shyam Sankar, who wants to bring back the gung-ho days of patriotic classics like Top Gun and Rocky IV.

Actor Rob Lowe has accused California’s leaders of allowing the film industry in Hollywood to come close to collapse. ‘It’s cheaper to bring 100 people to Ireland than to walk across the lot at Fox,’ he wailed, explaining why his game show, The Floor, was made near Dublin and not in LA

Their vision is clear: to create a counter-narrative to wokeness, one that celebrates American values and "strives for nuclear non-proliferation and exercises its right of self-defence." They're planning movies about devious Chinese attempts to undermine the US, Israeli military ventures, and even a three-part adaptation of Atlas Shrugged – because who doesn't love a good libertarian fantasy?

The stakes are high, and so is the tension. As veteran Hollywood journalist Alex DeGroote described it, "Founders Films is a real punch in the face for woke." But will this be enough to revive an industry on life support? Only time will tell.

One thing's certain: Texas has declared war on wokeness, and it's about to take Tinseltown by storm. Stay tuned – this battle for Hollywood's soul is just getting started.

Texas has earmarks £1.1billion of state funds to attract big-budget film and TV productions to the state, although the money will come with strings attached, with it being suggested that the  Republican state governor will be able to veto what projects get subsidised

The Rumble for the Top

In a shocking move, Matthew McConaughey, who has been weighing up launching his own political career and running as state governor, ended the True To Texas campaign's promo film with a challenge to Texas politicians: "So what do you say . . . you don't like what Hollywood's been dishing? Let's take over the kitchen, yeah!"

It was more than just a rallying cry – it was a call to arms. McConaughey and his co-stars are not just rebels; they're game-changers. By joining forces with conservative politicians in Texas, they're creating an alternative to the woke-dominated Hollywood machine.

Texas governor Greg Abbott, pictured with President Trump last month, is using the film and TV incentive Bill  as a political weapon, a means to ‘divert film-making from California and provide it through the lens of traditional American values,’ he says

But what's behind this sudden shift? It all started when Governor Greg Abbott signed SB22, a sweeping film and TV incentive Bill that earmarks $1.5 billion over the next decade to attract big-budget productions to Texas. The catch? To qualify for funding, projects will have to adhere to "standards of decency and respect" – a euphemism for conservative values.

In other words, Texas is about to become the new Hollywood, and it's taking aim at wokeness with its sights set on promoting traditional American values. Insiders claim that conservative politicians are already policing social issues like abortion, gun rights, and immigration, making it clear that this isn't just a friendly takeover – it's a full-blown coup.

As the news spread, panic set in among California's leaders, who have been struggling to keep up with the exodus of production companies fleeing Los Angeles for more tax-friendly locations. "It's cheaper to bring 100 people to Ireland than to walk across the lot at Fox," actor Rob Lowe lamented.

Billionaire Peter Thiel, a pro-Trump conservative libertarian, is just one of many Right-wing tech barons investors behind a Dallas-based film studio that will focus on make movies evoking a Hollywood era that existed before the industry became in thrall to politically correctness

And it seems like Hollywood is running out of excuses. The industry has become increasingly vulnerable to climate disasters, wildfires, and floods – not to mention its addiction to stultifying sequels and superhero films that fail to captivate audiences. It's no wonder that veteran journalist Paul Bond described the industry as "demonizing Right-wingers with Leftist messages."

But don't count on Hollywood giving up without a fight. A new player has entered the scene: Founders Films, backed by tech barons linked to Palantir and its chief technology officer Shyam Sankar, who wants to bring back the gung-ho days of patriotic classics like Top Gun and Rocky IV.

Their vision is clear: to create a counter-narrative to wokeness, one that celebrates American values and "strives for nuclear non-proliferation and exercises its right of self-defence." They're planning movies about devious Chinese attempts to undermine the US, Israeli military ventures, and even a three-part adaptation of Atlas Shrugged – because who doesn't love a good libertarian fantasy?

Superman star David Corenswet – a fierce Trump critic – highlighted how his planet-saving character is an immigrant (albeit from the planet Krypton rather than Mexico) and sent a rather damning message to Trump’s America about being ‘kinder’ to outsiders

The stakes are high, and so is the tension. As veteran Hollywood journalist Alex DeGroote described it, "Founders Films is a real punch in the face for woke." But will this be enough to revive an industry on life support? Only time will tell.

One thing's certain: Texas has declared war on wokeness, and it's about to take Tinseltown by storm. Stay tuned – this battle for Hollywood's soul is just getting started.

The Battle Lines are Drawn

The team behind the 2013 film World War Z, starring Brad Pitt, made changes to the movie to avoid suggesting that a zombie outbreak started in China, in order to avoid offending the Beijing government in a country with the world’s second most lucrative film market

As the dust settles, one thing becomes clear: this is a fight for the future of Hollywood. The industry has been dominated by wokeness for far too long, and it's time for a change.

Matthew McConaughey and his co-stars are not just rebels; they're game-changers. By joining forces with conservative politicians in Texas, they're creating an alternative to the woke-dominated Hollywood machine.

But what about Founders Films? Is their plan to bring back patriotic classics like Top Gun and Rocky IV a desperate attempt to cling to the past? Or is it a bold move to challenge the status quo?

Last year, a biopic of Republic president Ronald Reagan, starring Dennis Quaid,  grossed £22million and is seen as a conservative screen success by the American Right-wing base

As veteran journalist Alex DeGroote pointed out, "Founders Films is a real punch in the face for woke." But will this be enough to revive an industry on life support? Only time will tell.

One thing's certain: Texas has declared war on wokeness, and it's about to take Tinseltown by storm. Stay tuned – this battle for Hollywood's soul is just getting started.

The Rise of a New Power Player

In the midst of all the chaos, one question lingers: what does the future hold for Hollywood? Will Texas succeed in its bid to become the new hub of film and TV production?

As the battle rages on, it's clear that there's more at stake than just the industry itself. The war for wokeness is a fight for the very soul of America.

Matthew McConaughey and his co-stars are not just rebels; they're game-changers. By joining forces with conservative politicians in Texas, they're creating an alternative to the woke-dominated Hollywood machine.

But what about Founders Films? Is their plan to bring back patriotic classics like Top Gun and Rocky IV a desperate attempt to cling to the past? Or is it a bold move to challenge the status quo?

As veteran journalist Alex DeGroote pointed out, "Founders Films is a real punch in the face for woke." But will this be enough to revive an industry on life support? Only time will tell.

One thing's certain: Texas has declared war on wokeness, and it's about to take Tinseltown by storm. Stay tuned – this battle for Hollywood's soul is just getting started.

The Fallout Continues

As the news spreads, panic sets in among California's leaders, who have been struggling to keep up with the exodus of production companies fleeing Los Angeles for more tax-friendly locations. "It's cheaper to bring 100 people to Ireland than to walk across the lot at Fox," actor Rob Lowe lamented.

And it seems like Hollywood is running out of excuses. The industry has become increasingly vulnerable to climate disasters, wildfires, and floods – not to mention its addiction to stultifying sequels and superhero films that fail to captivate audiences.

But don't count on Hollywood giving up without a fight. A new player has entered the scene: Founders Films, backed by tech barons linked to Palantir and its chief technology officer Shyam Sankar, who wants to bring back the gung-ho days of patriotic classics like Top Gun and Rocky IV.

Their vision is clear: to create a counter-narrative to wokeness, one that celebrates American values and "strives for nuclear non-proliferation and exercises its right of self-defence." They're planning movies about devious Chinese attempts to undermine the US, Israeli military ventures, and even a three-part adaptation of Atlas Shrugged – because who doesn't love a good libertarian fantasy?

The stakes are high, and so is the tension. As veteran Hollywood journalist Alex DeGroote described it, "Founders Films is a real punch in the face for woke." But will this be enough to revive an industry on life support? Only time will tell.

One thing's certain: Texas has declared war on wokeness, and it's about to take Tinseltown by storm. Stay tuned – this battle for Hollywood's soul is just getting started.