Joe Swanberg Sets a New Film in Alaska — and I’m Intrigued by This Mumblecore Return
Details are few, but the tone already feels fresh.
Keeping an eye on the more independent corners of cinema, it’s hard not to appreciate what mumblecore brought to the table. It was a breath of fresh air — honest, quiet, and outside the system. No wonder Joe Swanberg’s return to features caught my attention. It’s been eight years, after all.
According to Deadline, Swanberg is now working on a new film, set in Alaska. It’s an as-yet-untitled romantic drama, starring Dakota Fanning, Jake Johnson, and Cory Michael Smith.
The plot remains under wraps, but the setting alone hints at something different. Alaska is a far cry from the usual apartments and bars of Swanberg’s earlier films. Could this suggest a shift in tone?
Since Win It All (2017), Swanberg has kept busy with smaller projects, though mostly under the radar. With twenty films behind him, his track record is mixed — some forgettable, some quietly brilliant. Still, his faith in small moments and raw dialogue gives his best work real charm.
There’s no release date yet, and not much else to go on. But a mumblecore pioneer heading to Alaska with a strong cast and a blank title? It’s enough to make me curious.
