Woody Allen has insisted he still has one more great film left 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.
Well, it’s official: the Madrid government has granted Allen €1.5 million to make his next film in Madrid — with the condition that the city’s name appear in the title. According to government documents, the film currently has the working title WASP 2026, an acronym for Woody Allen Summer Project (via El Pais).
Allen, 89, was all set to shoot a new film in Italy this summer, but financing fell through, and the entire production was canceled. A few months later, Spanish outlets La Vanguardia, Rac and Tapas reported that Allen would now be shooting his next film in Barcelona. That project also fell through. However, third time’s the charm: with the Madrid government’s investment, this is a done deal.
Plot details and casting have yet to be revealed for this mysterious film. It’ll be interesting to see if Allen supporters — and “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” stars Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz — will appear in this project; there’s certainly a decent chance that could happen.
Allen’s last film, 2023’s Coup de Chance, which also happened to be the 50th film he has directed, premiered at the Venice Film Festival. It was shot entirely in French and turned out to be one of the better efforts he’s given us over the past 10 years. It was also well-received by critics, currently holding an 84% on Rotten Tomatoes — making it his best-reviewed film since 2013’s Blue Jasmine.
Allen recently told journalists Neil Rosen and Roger Friedman that he hopes to shoot another film in New York, but he’s having “real trouble” securing financing. He hasn’t filmed in the United States since the #MeToo allegation resurfaced via Mia and Ronan Farrow. Over the past seven years, he has instead set his stories in Paris and San Sebastián.
There are too many great films to name in Allen’s repertoire. An artist whom William Friedkin called “the greatest living director,” his most notable works include “Annie Hall, Manhattan,” “Broadway Danny Rose,” “Hannah and Her Sisters,” and “Crimes and Misdemeanors.”
Allen can still make good films; he hasn’t lost his sardonic wit or his talent for writing a great story. It helps that his last few projects were beautifully lensed by legendary cinematographer Vittorio Storaro. I’m looking forward to his next effort.
Criterion's December lineup has some great additions to the library, but the title that jumped out at me is Werner Herzog's "Grizzly Man," which officially joins the Collection on December 8.