8 Movies That Directors Intentionally Planned To Be Their Final Films

Summary

Film directors do not always have the chance to designedly design theirfinal films , but occasionally this does happen , and they can behave as grand esthetic statements on their career in the world of movie house . There are times when directors knew in advance that they were making their last film due to sick health , dissatisfaction within the industriousness and a desire to move on , or just gearing up for an enjoyable retreat . When a director has the cognition that they are bookending their career with one last film , it can feel like a more important statement , as audiences roll in the hay that they were tell adios with this final work .

There have been some directors who have contribute a lot of thought to their legacy and the way that they will be perceived by film audiences for generations to come . Quentin Tarantino has been implausibly vocal about his desire to retire on a high noteand has state that his 10th motion picture , the upcomingThe Movie Critic , will be his last . There are other directors who formally announce their retreat , only to return to the screen with a new spillage just a few days afterward . Or woefully , there are those directors who would have like to continue moviemaking but unfortunately know , due to ill wellness , that they were make their last film .

8The Turin Horse (2011).

Directed by Béla Tarr

Magyar movie maker Béla Tarr ’s net film was the acclaimed dramaThe Turing Horse . A premonition , experiential geographic expedition of a mistreated horse bruit to have caused the mental breakdown of philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche , Tarr ’s film dealt with the heaviness of human existence . In aninterview withCineuropa , Tarr said he choose to retire with this moving-picture show as it acted as the last level in the exploitation of his career . Tarr outlined his transformation from an idealist who require to change the world , to someone who recognized the world ’s trouble were more complicated and said “ before the shooting I knew this would be my last celluloid . ”

7Queen and Country (2014)

Directed by John Boorman

Deliverancedirector John Boorman chose to cease his filmmaking career follow the release ofQueen and Country , a subsequence to his comedy - drama war filmHope and gloriole . The plastic film acted as a earnest farewell to his long and wide-ranging vocation and espouse a grown - up Bill Rohan drafted into the Korean War . Boorman toldVarietythat he madeQueen and Countrywith the design of it being his last and that the final shot of an unpaid television camera “ was my short metaphor for arrive to the end of my career . ”

6The Wind Rises (2013)

Directed by Hayao Miyazaki

Cast

The Nipponese music director of Studio Ghibli classic , such asMy Neighbor TotoroandSpirited Away , Hayao Miyazaki announced the anime filmThe Wind Risesas his last feature in 2013 . A beautiful looking at at the lifespan of Jiro Horikoshi , the man who designed Nipponese fighter woodworking plane during World War II , The Wind Riseswas an excellent end to one of the most completed filmmakeing careers in vivification history . However , Miyazaki did return to directing in 2023 with the release ofThe Boy and the Heron , a pic interpenetrate with such a nostalgic viewpoint and autobiographic influence that if Miyazaki does continue retired , it will roleplay as the utter goodbye .

5Behind the Candelabra (2013)

Directed by Steven Soderbergh

Steven Soderbergh intend to wave bye-bye to filmmaking withBehind the Candelabraacting as his leave-taking feature . The Academy Award - win director first hinted at his retirement plans in 2011 by posit he would make four more picture and then call it quits to focus on painting ( via theGuardian . ) Then in 2013 , shortly after the release ofSide Effectshe substantiate his plan and said it was influenced by Hollywood ’s “ absolutely atrocious ” treatment of managing director over the past 20 years ( via theGuardian . ) However , after learn the book ofLogan Luckyhe was convinced to retort to directing in 2017 and has been consistently unblock picture show since .

4A Prairie Home Companion (2006)

Directed by Robert Altman

New Hollywood era director Robert Altman was best known for moving-picture show likeMAS*H , McCabe & Mrs. Miller , andThe Long Goodbye . At 80 , he sought to manoeuver one last film , the musical comedyA Prairie Home Companion . It boast an ensemble cast and looked behind the scene of a popular wireless show . Altman was in such poor health during the output that Paul Thomas Anderson do as standby director in caseful he died before finish production . InanEWinterview , Altman alluded to the picture show being his last , state , “ I do n’t be intimate that I have the energy or the seniority to do any more ” and died five months after its release .

3Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005)

Directed by George Lucas

Star Warscreator George Lucas toldRolling Stonein 1980 “ I detest directing ” but despite this still revert to the music director ’ chair for all three of theStar Warsprequels . However , George Lucas asked three people to direct theStar Warsprequelsbut was reject by all of them . With no other alternative , Lucas nail the story of Anakin Skywalker ’s transformation in Darth Vader withRevenge of the Sithand hung up his director ’s hat for commodity . Since then , Lucas has focused in the main on philanthropy and officially announced his retreat from blockbuster plastic film in 2012 ( viaNew York Times )

2Fanny and Alexander (1982)

Directed by Ingmar Bergman

Swedish theatre director Ingmar Bergman contrive the beautiful period dramaFanny and Alexanderas his concluding moving picture and severalize the press at the time he like to retire as “ I do n’t have the military capability any more , neither psychologically nor physically ” ( viaThe Guardian . ) This would have acted as a perfect endpoint asFanny and Alexander’ssprawling family chronicle like an expert capsule Bergman ’s unique artistic visual modality . However , he continue to play and his existent final film , Saraband , was a beautiful swansong and a continuation to his masterpieceScenes From a matrimony , that reunited him with his frequent collaborator Liv Ullmann , and was arguably an even more appropriate end to an peerless career .

1The Movie Critic (2024)

Directed by Quentin Tarantino

The Movie Critic is a Modern film by writer / director Quentin Tarantino . No data on the film has been unveil yet .

Quentin Tarantino has been the world ’s most vocal director about the importance of bequest and tailoring a inviolable filmography , so much so that for yearsTarantino has say he will stop making film after his tenth lineament . Tarantino has committed to his plan and as he educate to makeThe Movie Critic , his tenth film , and has said following this he will focus on unfavorable judgment , television , and writing undertaking . Only time will state if Tarantino , like so many before him , wo n’t be able help but issue forth out of retirement , or if he will stick to his discussion and crouch out , leaving the public wanting more .

Sources : Cineuropa , Variety , Guardian , Guardian , EW , Rolling Stone , New York Times , The Guardian