God Save Texas
God Save Texas is a 2024 American documentary series, directed by Richard Linklater, Alex Stapleton, and Iliana Sosa. It is inspired by the book God Save Texas: A Journey Into the Soul of the Lone Star State by Lawrence Wright. The series explores the past, present, and future of Texas.
It had its world premiere at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival on January 23, 2024. It premiered February 27, 2024, on HBO.
Premise
Chronicling the past, present, and future of Texas, from the perspective of three directors. Following the prison industrial complex in Huntsville, the energy industry in Houston, and the humanity and healing following the El Paso shooting">El Paso, Texas">El Paso shooting in El Paso.Episodes
Production
In June 2014, it was announced God Save Texas was in development at HBO, with Lawrence Wright set to write, based upon his play Sonny’s Last Shot, and Lauren Shuler Donner set to executive produce.In March 2022, it was announced the project was instead a documentary-series with Richard Linklater set to direct an episode, with Wright still attached as executive producer, and Alex Gibney set to executive produce. While directing the episode, Linklater went on a process of search and discovery, determining an excessive amount of his high school football teammates ended up incarcerated by the prison industrial complex in Texas.