Woody Allen has insisted he still has one more great film in him. Not too long ago, he even claimed to have “one of the best ideas” he’s ever had, and only needed proper funding to make it happen. In February 2024, during a conversation with Spanish filmmaker David Trueba, Allen hinted he might shoot something in Italy as early as the fall.
But a few months later, I reported that those plans quietly fell apart. I’d been tracking the project for some time, and it became clear that it had been shelved unless a last-minute backer came along. The issue, as always, was money — Allen simply didn’t have the financing.
Now, in a new interview with EL PAÍS, Allen admits he’s having “problems with financing.” Producers want to “know the plot” and “which stars” he’ll cast, conditions he has no interest in entertaining.
“For now, I write,” he explained in another interview to El Mundo. “And when I can finance a film on my terms, I will make a movie. But the conditions are set by me. They have to buy into my vision, and if they do, I'll make the film. I rule out anyone interfering in my work and coming with demands about who should be in it and how they should be portrayed, for example. If the latter happens, I assume there won't be a movie.”
It’s a position Allen has repeated many times: he’ll make films as long as someone is willing to bankroll them, but he won’t compromise. That support is unlikely to come from Hollywood, where Allen remains persona non grata, and even European partners, who financed his last several projects, may be pulling back.
His most recent film, “Coup de Chance,” premiered at Venice two years ago. Shot in French and set in Paris, it marked his 50th feature and earned his best reviews in a decade. It was a reminder that Allen, even at 90, is still capable of delivering sharp, well-crafted work.
Beyond cinema, he’s been busy: he premiered a new play in Budapest, “Brooklyn Tale,: about a gangster, his wife, and a stolen painting, and published his debut novel, “What’s With Baum?,” which has received warm notices.
At this stage, whether Allen makes another film will depend entirely on financing. But his wit, eye for storytelling, and collaboration with master cinematographer Vittorio Storaro suggest he hasn’t run out of steam just yet. For now, it’s a waiting game.