Michael Haneke to announce shock retirement?

  • By Smith Alexander
  • Vienna
  • Last updated on

Haneke created a stir on Monday when rumors have surfaced that his career was over.

Sad news for Haneke fans. Speculation had been rife that the Austrian director best known for Amour, The White Ribbon or The Piano Teacher, will announce his retirement from all public activities, at age 83, with immediate effect.

UPDATE 03/02/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Being a director isn't fun anymore

“As we get older, there are phases of life that we enter into, and being a director-screenwriter just isn't fun anymore,” he might have said, says a source who remained anonymous. Other reports hinted that he may branch out into other creative fields he is better at (and more interested in), though they didn't provide any details.

#ThankYouMichael

For a little while on Monday evening, #ThankYouMichael was a trending hashtag on Twitter. As many fans reminisce and look back on all the unforgettable memories, some may wonder what about now made him make the decision.

“You’ve accomplished everything I ever dreamed of #ThankYouMichael.”
— @DesireePlum, 2 Feb 2026
“Didn't Michael Haneke retire about 3 years ago?”
— @samy2love, 2 Feb 2026

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