"So 4th Oscar then": Redditors react to the first look of Daniel Day-Lewis's upcoming Anemone movie

The release of the first look for Anemone, starring Daniel Day-Lewis, has drawn notable attention online. The film marks Day-Lewis’s first acting role in eight years, following 2017’s Phantom Thread. Directed by his son, Ronan Day-Lewis, and co-written by both father and son, the Northern England–set drama examines the complexities of family relationships shaped by past violence.

Following the release of the first look, online platforms and forums such as Reddit featured a range of reactions. Some users focused on Day-Lewis’s return to acting, while others speculated about potential awards recognition. One Reddit user remarked that Day-Lewis’s performance in Anemone could potentially secure him a fourth Academy Award.

"So 4th Oscar then," a Redditor added.

Other users referenced Day-Lewis’s dedication to his roles.

"He's so method that he would take all the prescription drugs, develop an addiction and then get clean in order to understand the character," another user commented.

Other comments read:

"DDL is 100 percent going to take part in political and personal violence," a user added.

''I thought ddl retired from acting,'' a Redditor added

''Didn't realize Daniel Day-Lewis un-retired!'' another user added

Overall, the reactions conveyed genuine excitement over seeing Day-Lewis on screen again. Anemone will premiere at the 2025 New York Film Festival on September 26. It will have a limited theatrical release on October 3 before expanding nationwide on October 10. The film is distributed by Focus Features.

---

About Daniel Day-Lewis's upcoming film

Daniel Day-Lewis returns to acting after an eight-year hiatus with Anemone, a family drama co-written with his son, Ronan Day-Lewis. As per the official description, the film explores: “An absorbing family drama … about lives undone by seemingly irreconcilable legacies of political and personal violence.”

The film’s setting is located in Northern England. Day-Lewis plays a reclusive hermit who reconnects with his estranged brother, portrayed by Sean Bean, during a journey into the woods. Their relationship, shaped by a complicated and sometimes violent past, is both fraught and occasionally tender, reflecting decades of unresolved tension.

The supporting cast features Samantha Morton, Samuel Bottomley, and Safia Oakley-Green. The film’s narrative combines intimate character moments with broader reflections on familial bonds and redemption. Reflecting on his return, Day-Lewis described stepping away from acting as a personal necessity.

In a 2017 interview with W magazine, Daniel Day-Lewis explained that he had previously felt compelled to retire, seeking to focus only on work that felt meaningful. He emphasized the responsibility of an artist to believe in the value of their work.

''The impulse to quit took root in me, and that became a compulsion. It was something I had to do, I need to believe in the value of what I’m doing. The work can seem vital. Irresistible, even. And if an audience believes it, that should be good enough for me. But, lately, it isn’t.”

This marks Daniel Day-Lewis’s first feature film since 2017’s Phantom Thread and represents the first collaboration between father and son in both writing and performance. With its combination of performances, storytelling, and cinematography, Anemone has already generated anticipation for Day-Lewis’s return to the screen.

---