Diary of a Mad Old Man (2026): Cast, Story and Release Details

Prepared by Movies Dock Editorial

Diary of a Mad Old Man follows a seventy-year-old widower recovering from a stroke while living under the care of his dysfunctional family. As his health declines, renewed desire complicates an already uneasy household, particularly through his daughter-in-law’s presence and troubled past.

Diary of a Mad Old Man is a 2026 drama directed by Wayne Wang and written by Kelvin Wyles. The film centers on a seventy-year-old widower whose recovery from a stroke brings him into close, difficult contact with his dysfunctional family.

His physical condition is deteriorating, but his desire remains powerful. When the attention of his daughter-in-law, a dancer with a shady past, sparks his libido, the family’s fragile situation takes on a more complicated emotional dimension.

Diary of a Mad Old Man movie details

Story without spoilers

The film follows a seventy-year-old widower as he recuperates from a stroke while depending on his family for care. His recovery is shaped not only by physical limitations but also by the tensions within a dysfunctional household.

At the center of the story is the contrast between his failing body and an undiminished libido. The attentions of his daughter-in-law, whose background includes a troubled history, awaken feelings that further complicate the family dynamic. The supplied synopsis frames the film as an intimate drama about aging, dependence and desire without revealing how those tensions are ultimately resolved.

What to expect

As a drama, Diary of a Mad Old Man is built around an adult family situation rather than an action-driven premise. Its central conflict comes from the widower’s recovery, his dependence on relatives and the unexpected desire triggered by his daughter-in-law’s attention.

The story also introduces questions of family dysfunction, aging and the effect of a complicated past on present relationships. The synopsis suggests a mature, potentially uncomfortable examination of intimacy and vulnerability, while the 1-hour-59-minute runtime gives the premise room to develop at feature length.

Cast and creative team

Wayne Wang directs Diary of a Mad Old Man from a screenplay by Kelvin Wyles. The cast includes Lily Franky as Utsugi, Fan Bingbing as Satsuko, Youki Kudoh as Hana, Takumi Saitoh as Jokichi, Asana Mamoru as Fumiko, Momoka Ayukawa as Kugako and Yo Osamu as Rinko.

• Fan Bingbing as Satsuko
• Lily Franky as Utsugi
• Youki Kudoh as Hana
• Takumi Saitoh as Jokichi
• Asana Mamoru as Fumiko
• Momoka Ayukawa as Kugako
• Yo Osamu as Rinko

Release and production context

Diary of a Mad Old Man is listed as a 2026 release with a release date of September 11, 2026. It has a runtime of 1 hour and 59 minutes and is classified as a drama. The production involves the United States of America, Japan, Switzerland and Malaysia, with Japanese and Mandarin listed as the spoken languages.

The credited production companies are Fourier Films, Friendly Giant Pictures, Melograno Films, Nobu Pictures, Cinetrain and Berjaya Pictures. The film’s original title is also Diary of a Mad Old Man.

Production companies: Fourier Films, Friendly Giant Pictures, Melograno Films, Nobu Pictures, Cinetrain, Berjaya Pictures

Movies Dock view

Diary of a Mad Old Man presents a focused family drama in which illness, dependence and late-life desire collide. With its international production background, Japanese and Mandarin dialogue, and emphasis on an aging widower’s complicated home life, the film offers a premise grounded in personal and familial tension.

Film data:
TMDB · IMDb