Joe Swanberg’s new film ‘The Sun Never Sets’ hits theaters

Director Joe Swanberg has returned to feature filmmaking with his new drama, ‘The Sun Never Sets’, which is beginning its theatrical release in the United States. The film, which premiered at SXSW 2026, stars Dakota Fanning and Jake Johnson in a story set in Anchorage, Alaska.

The plot follows Wendy (Fanning), a free-spirited woman at a crossroads in her relationship with Jack (Johnson), an older divorced father. The dynamic is complicated by the re-emergence of an old flame played by Cory Michael Smith.

While some critics have praised the film as an emotionally cohesive return to form for the mumblecore auteur, others have noted a lack of chemistry between the leads and a reliance on Swanberg’s established low-budget, improvisational style. The film is currently debuting at the Music Box in Chicago and the IFC Center in New York City before an expanded release.