Ultimately, it wasn’t that big of a deal. Woody Allen is saying his remarks have been misconstrued after he seemingly retired from the film industry. The four-time Academy Award winner confirmed through a spokesman that his 50th picture, Wasp 22, will not be his final, despite earlier reports to the contrary (and possible celebrations) this weekend throughout the world. The 86-year-old filmmaker appeared confused in an interview with the Spanish daily La Vanguardia. Allen’s next project, Wasp 22, is now under development in France, and the news site claimed that following its completion, Allen will retire.
Journalists made the connection when Allen told Alec Baldwin on Livestream in June that “the excitement” of producing movies was gone since audiences weren’t as enthusiastic about going to the cinema. An Allen representative has come forth with the following statement: Woody Allen has never confirmed retirement or announced a new novel. He has stated that he is considering retiring from the film industry because he finds it more dissatisfying to create pictures that are destined solely or almost exclusively for online streaming services. He has no plans to retire anytime soon, and he’s thrilled to be filming his 50th feature in Paris.
Since the director had been in a creative rut for some years, the announcement of Allen’s retirement came as a welcome relief. Ever since his adopted daughter Dylan Farrow accused him of sexual assault in 1992, the filmmaker has been the subject of intense scrutiny. Even if the news appeared, again and again, #MeToo was the turning point that caused him to shelve all of his initiatives. Allen, who usually only makes one picture each year, had a sudden influx of high-profile actors who either refused to cooperate with him or announced they would instead donate their salary to charity. Despite the claims, Allen maintains his innocence, and it’s doubtful we’ll ever have a definite explanation as to what transpired between the filmmaker and his stepdaughter, even though the 2021 HBO Max docuseries Allen v. Farrow provides a dismal image of the event.
But the show has been criticised for just showing one side of the story, even though it clearly sides with Farrows after years of media coverage focusing on Allen’s. A Rainy Day in New York, starring Timothée Chalamet and Elle Fanning, and Rifkin’s Festival, with a notable absence of A-list actors for the first time in the director’s career since he became Hollywood royalty, were both released after the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements gained traction, but Allen continued to work through the storm. In comparison to other Woody Allen films, this one barely broke $2 million at the box office. Midnight in Paris, one of Allen’s most successful films, grossed over $150 million worldwide.
Wasp 22 has not yet revealed its cast.