Wed Sep 17 06:40:00 UTC 2025: **Daniel Day-Lewis Comes Out of Retirement for Son’s Directorial Debut in ‘Anemone’**

**NEW YORK, NY** – Eight years after announcing his retirement from acting, Academy Award winner Daniel Day-Lewis is returning to the screen in “Anemone,” a new drama directed by his son, Ronan Day-Lewis. The film, a Focus Features production, marks the directorial debut for the younger Day-Lewis, a longtime painter, and the first on-screen appearance for his father since 2017’s “Phantom Thread.”

“Anemone,” set to release in limited theaters on October 3 and nationwide on October 10, tells the story of Ray (Daniel Day-Lewis), a reclusive former soldier living in the remote woods of Northern England. When Ray’s teenage son, Brian, begins to struggle, Ray must confront his past with the help of his brother, Jem (Sean Bean), and Brian’s mother, Nessa (Samantha Morton). The film promises to be an intense family drama, infused with elements of dark humor and hyperrealism.

The project began in 2018 as a collaboration between father and son, initially centered on the idea of brotherhood and the role of silence. Both Day-Lewis’ shared a common interest in the subject, that quickly turned into a shared vision to make a movie. The actors spent years writing the story together, a process which Daniel calls “pure joy” after his long hiatus from acting. While Daniel had mentioned concerns with engaging with the business of filmmaking, he was able to overcome that fear.

Ronan described his father’s performance as “amazing,” saying his years of experience helped him find a creative freedom on set. The two noted that there was lots of respect, and the two listened to each others creative input throughout the process.

While the film deals with themes of fatherhood, the Day-Lewis’ insist that the film is not autobiographical. Ronan said, “There is nothing explicitly autobiographical, and the whole idea of the ‘sins of the father,’ etc., is very archetypal.” The film represents a new chapter in the careers of both Day-Lewis men, with the release of a new film the world can finally enjoy.

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