It’s been eight long years, but the elusive three-time Oscar winner Daniel Day-Lewis has returned to star in the upcoming family drama Anemone. Focus Features shared the official trailer today, reintroducing the actor to audiences for the first time since Paul Thomas Anderson’s Phantom Thread in a role that will be emotional for multiple reasons. He’s set to lead the film opposite The Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones favorite Sean Bean, who plays a middle-aged man setting out to reunite with his estranged hermit brother. What follows is a story exploring the nature of the bond between fathers, sons, and brothers throughout the journey of life, and the generational conflicts that emerge along the way. Anemone takes place in Northern England, where the brother played by Bean begins his journey. Leaving behind his suburban home, he heads out into the woods to find Day-Lewis and reconnect years after the events in their lives drove them apart. There’s a tension to their relationship, colored by the complicated past they share and the catastrophic events that drove a wedge between them in the decades prior. Yet, there’s still a tenderness for each other that shines through, despite all the time that has passed. The film isn’t just about the present, but the many years before that the brothers shed light on throughout its runtime. With their reunion, they look to chart a course to familial redemption and, perhaps, go on a nice motorcycle ride together. Aside from the emotional premise, it’s also a meaningful project for Day-Lewis because the film marks the directorial debut of his son, Ronan Day-Lewis. Both father and son co-wrote Anemone, which also had some heavyweight production power behind it, with Brad Pitt’s Plan B Entertainment banner backing. The Oscar and BAFTA-winning lead actors are joined by a supporting cast featuring up-and-comer Samuel Bottomley, The Lazarus Project alum Safia Oakley-Green, and another Oscar nominee in Minority Report star Samantha Morton.
‘Anemone’ Will Begin Its Run on the Festival Circuit

It’s unclear if Day-Lewis is returning to acting in a deeper capacity or if the father-son collaboration is an exception, and he’ll return to retirement. Regardless, Anemone is an exciting development for fans of the There Will Be Blood star after years of silence. Before appearing on the big screen, the project will make its world premiere at the New York Film Festival, which runs from September 24 through October 13. There, it’ll be featured as part of the Spotlight section of the event, joining a stacked lineup including the Apple docuseries Mr. Scorsese, Richard Linklater’s latest titles, Nouvelle Vague and Blue Moon, and, as the Gala Selection, the Jeremy Allen White-led Bruce Springsteen biopic Deliver Me from Nowhere. Anemone opens in limited theaters on October 3 before going wide on October 10. Check out the trailer in the player above.

Anemone

Release Date

October 10, 2025

Runtime

97 minutes

Director

Ronan Day-Lewis

Writers

Daniel Day-Lewis, Ronan Day-Lewis