Long Day's Journey Into Night: Jessica Lange And Ed Harris's Eugene O'Neill Film Finally Reaches Theatres

Some films take years to make. This one took years just to come out. Long Day's Journey Into Night, the screen adaptation of Eugene O'Neill's Pulitzer Prize-winning play, was shot in November 2022. It opens in US theatres today, almost four years later.

The Story

Set over one tense day in 1912 Connecticut, the play follows the Tyrone family as they pick apart each other's failures. Jessica Lange plays Mary Tyrone, the morphine-addicted mother. Ed Harris plays James Tyrone, her husband, an ageing actor. Ben Foster plays their alcoholic elder son Jamie, and Colin Morgan also stars. It is one of the defining works of American theatre, and a heavy, intimate watch.

Why It Took So Long

The production ran into trouble almost immediately, when a financier pulled out just days into shooting. In 2024, Lange admitted she did not know if the film would ever come out, describing it as stuck in a weird limbo and unfinished. BKStudios eventually stepped in to help complete it, and Quiver picked up US distribution this month. The film had a special screening at New York's Lincoln Center on September 14.

A Role Lange Knows Well

Lange played Mary Tyrone on Broadway in 2016 and won a Tony Award for it. That production was also directed by Jonathan Kent, who makes his feature directing debut here. Fans of the stage version get to see her return to one of her signature roles, this time with Harris opposite her.

Two Ben Foster Films In One Day

Ben Foster also turns up as Evel Knievel in The Stunt Driver, which opens today too, making it a busy Friday for him.

Quick Facts

• Film: Long Day's Journey Into Night

• Director: Jonathan Kent

• Based on: Eugene O'Neill's play

• Cast: Jessica Lange, Ed Harris, Ben Foster, Colin Morgan

• Distributor: Quiver (US)

• Filmed: November 2022

• Release: September 25, 2026 (US)

FAQs

Who plays Mary Tyrone?

Jessica Lange, who also won a Tony for the role on Broadway in 2016.

Why was the film delayed?

A financier pulled out early in production, leaving the film unfinished for a long time before new backers helped complete it.

Is it based on a true story?

It is based on Eugene O'Neill's largely autobiographical play.

Where can I watch it?

It opens in US theatres on September 25, 2026, through Quiver.