Woody Allen is returning to the director's chair once more. On Thursday, the 90-year-old American filmmaker presented his 51st feature in Madrid, a project that will begin shooting on 5 October and will be set largely in the Spanish capital and the nearby town of Aranjuez.
The presentation was attended by Isabel Díaz Ayuso, president of the Madrid region, and Mayor José Luis Martínez-Almeida. Both administrations are backing the production with nearly €3 million in public money, channelled through sponsorship agreements designed to promote Madrid internationally. The regional government had already committed €1.5 million, and the city council is contributing a similar amount.
The film, currently under the working title Wasp 2026, is described as a comedy blending love, intrigue, and infidelity. The cast includes Jemima Kirke, Alexi Wasser, and Peter Vives, with much of the technical crew drawn from Spain. Shooting is expected to last about six weeks across roughly 30 locations in the region.
As part of the sponsorship deal, the title must include the name Madrid, and the film is expected to showcase recognisable landmarks across the region. The authorities see the project as a tool to boost tourism, a strategy that has been used elsewhere in Spain, such as with Shakira's recent Madrid concert.
Allen avoids political commentary
During his appearance, Allen was asked about the housing protests that have been taking place in Madrid. He declined to take a position, saying he has never considered himself a political filmmaker. When pressed directly, he did express his rejection of fascism.
The new production marks Allen's return to Spain after films such as Vicky Cristina Barcelona and Rifkin's Festival. He has also acknowledged that, given his age and the changes in the film industry, this could be one of his last movies.
Controversies resurface
The announcement has inevitably revived the disputes that have followed Allen for decades. The most serious concerns the sexual abuse allegations made by his adoptive daughter Dylan Farrow, who claims Allen abused her in 1992 when she was seven. Allen has consistently denied the accusation.
The case was investigated in the United States, but Allen was never formally charged or tried. In 1993, Connecticut prosecutor Frank Maco said there was probable cause to bring charges, but he chose not to, arguing that a trial could harm Dylan Farrow. Allen has maintained ever since that the allegation is false.
The controversy resurfaced during the #MeToo movement and after the 2021 documentary Allen v. Farrow. Several Hollywood figures publicly distanced themselves from the director, and his multi-film deal with Amazon was terminated early, leading to a lawsuit that was later withdrawn.
Another widely debated episode is his relationship with Soon-Yi Previn, the adoptive daughter of Mia Farrow and André Previn. Allen began the relationship while still involved with Farrow. They married in Venice in 1997, when he was 62 and she was 27.
Despite the controversies, Madrid's conservative leadership has embraced the project, seeing it as a way to put the city on the global cultural map. The decision has drawn criticism from some quarters, but the authorities have defended the investment as a promotional opportunity.
Allen's return to Spain comes at a time when the country's film industry is increasingly looking to international productions for economic and cultural benefits. The use of public funds for such projects is not unusual, though the scale of the subsidy has raised eyebrows.
As filming approaches, the director's presence in Madrid is likely to keep the spotlight on both his work and the unresolved questions that have shadowed his career.
