Before Kit Connor trades his usual charm for superhero powers as Scott Summers, AKA Cyclops, in the upcoming X-Men reboot, he’s taking on a much more grounded role. His next project, A Long Winter, is bringing family drama, grief, complicated relationships, and a touch of queer yearning to the big screen. And honestly, we’re already preparing our feelings for impact.
Kit Connor Is Entering His Dramatic Era
Directed by Andrew Haigh, the acclaimed filmmaker behind All of Us Strangers, A Long Winter is a far cry from the fantasy and spectacle of Marvel. Instead, the film explores what happens when a family is left searching for answers during a brutal Colorado winter.
Based on Colm Tóibín’s 2006 short story, the film follows a young man whose mother disappears during the season’s first blizzard. As the winter drags on, his relationship with his father changes, forcing him to confront grief, resilience, and the person he’s becoming.
Connor plays Tommy, the protagonist’s brother, who is determined to escape their hometown and experience life beyond its familiar surroundings. His solution? Enlisting in the Army and heading off to Korea.
Joining Connor is an impressive ensemble featuring Fred Hechinger, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Caitriona Balfe, Martin Freeman, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, David Furr, and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo.
READ: Kit Connor’s Tattoo Is Easy to Spot–His Co-Stars’ Placements Are a Bit Cheekier
Queer Yearning Meets a Long, Cold Winter
While A Long Winter isn’t necessarily the kind of queer romance some viewers might expect, LGBTQ themes are woven into its exploration of identity and self-discovery.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the film takes a more unexpected approach to queer sexuality, with Mikey, played by Hechinger, experiencing “homoerotic fantasies” about the police officer sharing Tommy’s bed. Rather than leaning on familiar coming-out storylines, the film explores desire and longing as part of a young man’s complicated emotional world.
🏳️🌈 Novo trailer de A Long Winter, drama LGBTQ+ estrelado por KIT CONNOR! A trama se passa nos anos 1950 e explora desejos reprimidos, sexualidade e conflitos familiares em uma época marcada pelo conservadorismo. https://t.co/DSA3etnmH7
— GRINTHAL (@iamgrinthal) October 15, 2026
With Haigh’s track record of handling intimacy and vulnerability, we’re particularly curious to see how these moments unfold. After All of Us Strangers left audiences sitting with their feelings, the director seems ready to take us on another emotionally layered journey.
Following its premiere at the 53rd Telluride Film Festival, the film received positive critical attention and currently holds a 79% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Before the Superhero Suit, the Emotional Damage
Connor has already proven he can make audiences feel things, and A Long Winter gives him another opportunity to showcase his dramatic range before stepping into the Marvel universe.
The film is scheduled for release in the United Kingdom in January 2027. Until then, we’ll be keeping an eye on this one. Between Connor’s latest role and Haigh’s knack for emotionally devastating storytelling, this winter might leave us feeling a little warmer, and a whole lot more emotional.