Mike Leigh, the Oscar-nominated writer-director behind Secrets & Lies and Vera Drake, says his next film is likely to be his last.

Speaking at a Golden Globes-hosted roundtable in London, the 83-year-old film-maker was asked whether Tender Loving Care — a comedy drama starring Marion Bailey and Kate O'Flynn — would mark his retirement. "Absolutely. I think very likely, yes," Leigh replied. "I mean, I know the girls don't like to hear me say that, but I think that is the case." The Guardian

The reason is medical. Leigh has been diagnosed with myositis, a disease in which the immune system attacks the body's own muscles, causing chronic inflammation and progressive weakness. He told the roundtable that making another film would be "very difficult" and "not going to be possible" as a result of his health. He acknowledged needing physical assistance, saying "my two friends all helped me to stand up," and noted that theatre work — staging a play — would be even more physically demanding than directing a film. The Guardian

The comments were first reported by Indiewire, in a feature by reporter Rino Lu published on 28 July 2026. The Guardian attributed the story to that report. Indiewire

Tender Loving Care is described as "an insightful exploration of the contemporary world." Bailey is Leigh's longtime collaborator and partner. The film is set to premiere during the autumn festival season, with a Canadian premiere confirmed at the Toronto International Film Festival and a world premiere at Telluride predicted. The Guardian

Leigh's previous film, Hard Truths, starring Marianne Jean-Baptiste, was released roughly two years ago. It marked his final collaboration with cinematographer Dick Pope, who died in October 2024. Pope and Leigh had worked together for decades, a partnership that shaped the distinctive visual texture of films from Mr. Turner to Peterloo. The Guardian

Leigh's method is one of the most distinctive in world cinema. He builds scripts through months of improvisation and rehearsal with his actors, developing character and story simultaneously rather than working from a finished screenplay. The approach has produced 14 feature films across more than 50 years, earning multiple Academy Award nominations and the Palme d'Or at Cannes for Secrets & Lies in 1996.

For audiences, Tender Loving Care now carries a double weight: a new film from a director whose process is impossible to replicate, arriving as what may be his farewell to the form.