UPDATE: Leigh is officially re-teaming up with Bleecker Street as well as Cornerstone, STUDIOCANAL (UK) and Film4 for his next film, which is expected to begin shooting later this year. Bleecker Street released Leigh’s latest film, “Hard Truths.”
EARLIER: Mike Leigh, Oscar-nominated five times for writing and twice for directing (“Secrets & Lies,” “Vera Drake”) doesn’t want to retire, and why should he? He feels like he has a few more films left in the tank, but only if he can find the money to make them.
Leigh, 81, recently stated that he didn’t have enough money to make his next film. He’s now telling Deadline “we’re raising the money now” and that the goal is to shoot it in 2025. Good luck, Mike.
It helps that his latest, “Hard Truths,” is receiving great acclaim at the fall fests (86 on Metacritic), and that’s despite the film having been rejected by Cannes, Venice and Telluride (Leigh’s words, not mine). Not to mention the four-year journey which had Leigh struggling to raise the money needed to make “Hard Truths.”
What’s even more baffling is that “Hard Truths” only cost a few million to make, but that didn’t stop Netflix from rejecting Leigh’s pitch to them in 2021. It’s been a long road for this film, and it does look like the iconic British filmmaker might have had the last laugh — I wouldn’t be surprised if “Hard Truths” gets nominated for acting and writing Oscars come next year.