The director of Boyhood explores the lives of three Vietnam vets reunited by tragedy.

Id say were a sequel to this the wayThe Silence of the Lambsis a sequel toManhunter.

I dont think you could technically be a sequel if you dont have the same cast.

We never thought about it.

We never talked about it.

He adds, The core, the DNA is the same.

These characters are too much fun.

Thats what motivated me, anyway.

I just liked these guys.

Theyre literally in the trenches together.

this is a portrait of guys who are really very different who still come together in a commonality.

Theres that bond and love for one another despite their differences.

I thought, Thats a good thing to demonstrate, I think, in this world.

Some dynamics you cant escape, says Linklater.

Our perspective is from the bottom, these guys.

Theyre small time, written up, send a medal, process a body, done.

But they are a big deal.

Every death is a big tragedy and they do affect a lot of people.

To not share that, to act like it didnt happen, to keep it so private.

I think it should be shared.

All this is being done in our names.

I think it was eventually lifted just for transparencys sake.

Such a cynical idea to begin with, but it makes sense from their perspective.

How many lives is this agenda of yours worth?

Is it worth your own kids life?

Its the big question, agrees Linklater.

It should always be on the table.

What are we there for?

Its a pretty narrow age range, he says.

They all had to be in their 50s.

Within the age range, it wasnt a huge spectrum of actors who could even be in this.

I was just lucky that I got these three.

Everyone just felt at the top of their game, man.

It was so fun to work with them.

They were just such a great team.

Just like old comrades.

They were just playing their roles for each other.

Its interesting maneuvering through, in, and around our industry.

Ive always tried to do different things and tell different stories.

Im just lucky Ive been able to do it.

Last Flag Flyingis out now in a limited run and opens in wide release Friday (November 17).