Mike Leigh plans to shoot the next film in 2025

EXCLUSIVE: Octogenerian Mike Leigh doesn’t slow down his production. The acclaimed British filmmaker is currently enjoying great popularity for his new film Hard truthswhich recently debuted at TIFF and is playing at the London Film Festival this week.

Leigh took part in a Deadline Contenders panel in London this morning, where he dismissed any talk of retirement and confirmed that he plans to make another film next year.

“We plan to shoot the next film in 2025. We’re collecting the money now.”

The seven-time Oscar nominee wasn’t keen on the subject matter or the creatives involved in the project, but Leigh often works with a team that includes producer Georgina Lowe and DoP Dick Pope.

In a recent interview, Leigh admitted that the filmmaking process has become more physically demanding: “It’s physically challenging. My cinematographer Dick Pope, who I’ve worked with ever since Life is sweet, Shortly before we started filming, I had major heart surgery [Hard Truths].”

Leigh was joined on stage in London by stars Hard truths Marianne Jean-Baptiste and Michele Austin, who were both praised for their roles in the comedic family drama. Lead actor Jean-Baptiste is widely considered an Oscar contender.

Pic follows Pansey (Jean-Baptiste), a woman on the verge of a nervous breakdown who navigates her life with an unpredictable mix of vulnerability and anger. She lives with her husband Curtley (David Webber) and their adult son Moses (Tuwaine Barrett), both of whom have grown numb to her unpredictable, often vicious behavior. Her sister Chantal (Michele Austin) represents the opposite – she is cheerful and resilient and raises her two daughters with a positive attitude. She is the only person who can truly empathize with Pansey’s pain.

Leigh’s previous Oscar nominations included Best Director Secrets and lies (1996) and Vera Drake (2004), with additional allusions to the original screenplay Turned upside down (1999), Happy-Go-Lucky (2008) and Another year (2010).

Hard truths is Leigh’s 15th feature film. The film will be released in the US on December 6th by Bleecker Street.