A three-time Academy Award winner, Daniel Day-Lewis last appeared on screen in 2017’s “Phantom Thread.” And, as recently as six months ago, friends such as filmmaker Jim Sheridan said the 67-year-old had given no indication he was planning on ending his retirement from acting. It appears his son has convinced him to change that stance.
READ MORE: Daniel Day-Lewis won’t be un-retiring from acting
Focus Features and Plan B announced today that the senior Day-Lewis will star in Ronan Day-Lewis’ feature directorial debut, “Anemone.” The 26-year-old artist directed the 2018 short “The Sheep and the Wolf” and the little-seen Sargasso music video “Snow and Sun.” He’s better known for his painting, which has been included in several pubic exhibitions over the past few years.
Described as a film that “explores the intricate relationships between fathers, sons, and brothers, and the dynamics of familial bonds,” the expected 2025 release also stars Sean Bean, Samantha Morton, Samuel Bottomley, and Safia Oakley-Green. British tabloids caught Day-Lewis filming a scene with Bean yesterday.
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“Anemone” was co-written by both Daniel and Ronan Day-Lewis. This will be the first screenwriting credit in Daniel Day-Lewis’ four-decade career.
The topline crew is rounded out by Director of Photography Ben Fordesman (“Love Lies Bleeding”), Emmy Award-winning Costume Designer Jane Petrie (“The Crown”), and Production Designer Chris Oddy (“Zone of Interest”).
In a statement, Focus Features Chairman Peter Kujawski noted, “We could not be more excited to partner with a brilliant visual artist in Ronan Day-Lewis on his first feature film alongside Daniel Day-Lewis as his creative collaborator. They have written a truly exceptional script, and we look forward to bringing their shared vision to audiences alongside the team at Plan B.” 
Day-Lewis is one of the most revered actors of his generation. He won Oscars for his performances in “My Left Foot,” “There Will Be Blood,” and “Lincoln.” His other credits include “In the Name of the Father,” “Gangs of New York,” “The Last of the Mohicans,” “The Boxer,” “Nine,” “A Room with A View” and “My Beautiful Launderette.”