Daniel Day Lewis movies: Why the world’s most elusive actor is finally coming back

Honestly, the news hit like a bolt from the blue. After seven years of radio silence and a very public "I’m done with this" retirement in 2017, Daniel Day-Lewis is officially stepping back onto a movie set. The guy who basically invented the modern idea of disappearing into a role is returning for a film called Anemone, directed by his own son, Ronan Day-Lewis. It’s wild because for a long time, we all just assumed Daniel Day Lewis movies were a closed chapter of history, something to be studied in film school rather than anticipated at the local multiplex.

He didn't just quit acting; he vanished. He went to Italy to learn how to make shoes. He spent years in the Irish countryside. He treated Hollywood like a weird fever dream he’d finally woken up from. But now, at 68, the only man to ever win three Best Actor Oscars is co-writing and starring in a new project. It’s a huge deal. You don’t just "replace" a guy who learned how to build a house from scratch for a role or lived in a wheelchair for months to understand cerebral palsy.

The method behind the madness

People love to talk about the "Method," but with Daniel Day-Lewis, it’s kinda different. It isn't just about wearing a costume or doing a voice. It’s a total, terrifying commitment that makes other actors look like they’re just playing dress-up.

Take My Left Foot (1989). He played Christy Brown, an artist with cerebral palsy who could only use his left foot. Day-Lewis refused to leave his wheelchair during the entire shoot. Crew members had to literally spoon-feed him and carry him across the set. He even ended up with two broken ribs from slouching in that chair for weeks on end. It sounds miserable, doesn't it? But then you watch the movie and you realize he isn't "acting." He’s existing.

Then there’s The Last of the Mohicans (1992). He didn't just learn how to use a rifle. He lived in the wilderness for months, hunting and skinning his own food. He learned how to build a canoe. If you’ve seen the movie, you know that sprint he does through the woods—that wasn't some guy who spent the morning in a trailer with a latte. That was a guy who’d been living in the dirt.

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A filmography built on quality, not quantity

If you look at the list of Daniel Day Lewis movies, it’s actually surprisingly short. Since the late '90s, he’s only made a handful of films. He’s the ultimate "quality over quantity" guy.

• There Will Be Blood (2007): Daniel Plainview is arguably the greatest performance of the 21st century. The voice, the "I drink your milkshake" intensity—it’s iconic. He reportedly spent a year researching the oil industry of the early 1900s.
• Gangs of New York (2002): He played Bill the Butcher and stayed in character 24/7, even developing a real-life pneumonia because he refused to wear a warmer modern coat that didn't exist in the 1860s.
• Lincoln (2012): Spielberg had to wait years for him to say yes. Once he did, Day-Lewis spent a year reading about the 16th President. He spoke in that high-pitched, reedy voice even when he was texting his co-stars.

The retirement that wasn't

When Phantom Thread came out in 2017, his team released a statement saying he would no longer be working as an actor. It was a "private decision." Most of us figured that was it. He’d won his three Oscars (for My Left Foot, There Will Be Blood, and Lincoln), he’d established himself as the G.O.A.T., and he was going to go back to his woodwork and his quiet life in County Wicklow.

But then Anemone happened.

Working with his son seems to have been the catalyst. The film, which they co-wrote, is reportedly a deep dive into the complex relationships between fathers, sons, and brothers. It’s set in Manchester and features Sean Bean and Samantha Morton. It feels personal. Maybe that’s the only thing that could lure him back—not a paycheck, but a family connection.

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Why his return matters for cinema

In an era of CGI and 22-movie franchises, a Daniel Day-Lewis performance is a rare piece of handmade craft. It's slow. It’s deliberate. It’s basically the opposite of everything else happening in entertainment right now.

Most people get him wrong, though. They think he’s some pretentious guy who takes himself too seriously. But if you listen to his interviews—the few that exist—he’s actually incredibly humble about it. He describes the process more like a "gravitational pull." He doesn't choose the characters; they sort of haunt him until he has no choice but to play them.

Watching the essentials: Where to start

If you're new to his work or just want to refresh your memory before Anemone drops, don't just go for the big hits.

1. Start with My Beautiful Laundrette (1985). He plays a punk in a gay relationship in 1980s London. It’s worlds away from the "Great Man" roles he’s known for now. It shows his range before he became "The Great Daniel Day-Lewis."
2. Then watch The Age of Innocence (1993). It’s a Scorsese movie, but it’s not about gangsters. It’s a period piece where all the violence is emotional and happens behind closed doors. Day-Lewis is heartbreakingly subtle here.
3. Finally, hit There Will Be Blood. It’s the peak. It’s the mountain top.

What to do next

If you want to keep up with the latest on his comeback, the best thing you can do is keep an eye on Focus Features’ announcements regarding Anemone. Since he doesn't have social media (obviously), news usually drops through official trade publications like Variety or the New York Times.

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Also, if you're really interested in the craft, look up his 2013 Oscar acceptance speech. It’s one of the few times he lets the mask slip, showing a guy who is witty, grateful, and surprisingly normal. For now, we wait for the first trailer. Whether this is a one-time thing or a full-blown comeback, the history of Daniel Day Lewis movies just got a lot more interesting.

Check your local streaming listings for Phantom Thread or The Boxer this weekend. Seeing the progression from his early career to his "final" roles gives you a much better appreciation for why his return is the biggest story in film right now.

Actionable Insight: To truly understand the "Day-Lewis effect," watch My Beautiful Laundrette and A Room with a View back-to-back. They were released in New York on the same day in 1986. In one, he's a street-tough punk; in the other, a prissy Edwardian snob. Seeing that contrast is the quickest way to realize why he’s considered the best to ever do it.