Woody Allen unveils new film in Madrid, backed by nearly €3 million in public money
The 90-year-old US filmmaker presented his 51st film in the capital on Thursday, due to start shooting on 5 October with public funding, even as the controversies that have defined his career continue to weigh on him.
Published on 01/10/2026 - 17:24 GMT+2
Woody Allen is stepping behind the camera once again. The US director presented his next film in Madrid on Thursday, the 51st of his career, which will start shooting on 5 October and will be set mainly in the Spanish capital and in Aranjuez.
At 90, Allen was joined at the presentation by the president of the Madrid region, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, and the city's mayor, José Luis Martínez-Almeida. The project is being funded by both administrations: together, Madrid's institutions will contribute almost three million euros through sponsorship agreements aimed, among other goals, at promoting Madrid internationally.
The film, still without a final title and provisionally known as 'Wasp 2026', will be a comedy blending love, intrigue and infidelity. The cast features Jemima Kirke, Alexi Wasser and Peter Vives, while much of the technical crew will be Spanish. Filming will take around six weeks at roughly 30 locations.
The sponsorship deal also requires that the name Madrid must appear in the title and that the film should showcase recognisable places across the region. The regional government had already announced a 1.5 million euro contribution to the project, with the aim of using the feature as a tool to promote tourism.
Allen steers clear of current political debate
During his appearance in the capital, Allen was also asked about the housing-related protests taking place in Madrid. The director declined to take a stance on the situation and said he has never seen himself as a political filmmaker. He did, however, express his rejection of fascism when asked directly about it.
The new production marks Allen's return to Spain after films such as 'Vicky Cristina Barcelona' and 'Rifkin's Festival'. The filmmaker has also acknowledged that, because of his age and the changes the film industry has undergone, this could be one of his last movies.
The controversies surrounding Woody Allen
The director's return to Spain also revives the disputes that have shaped his career over recent decades. The most significant concerns the sexual abuse allegations made by his adoptive daughter Dylan Farrow, who says Allen abused her in 1992 when she was 7. The filmmaker has repeatedly denied the accusation.
The case was investigated in the United States. Allen was never formally charged or tried over the allegations. In 1993, Connecticut prosecutor Frank Maco said there was probable cause to bring a case, but chose not to file charges, arguing that a trial could harm Dylan Farrow. Allen has maintained ever since that the allegation is false.
The controversy re-emerged decades later, particularly during the #MeToo movement and after the release in 2021 of the documentary 'Allen v. Farrow'. The accusations also had professional consequences: some Hollywood figures publicly distanced themselves from the director and his multi-film deal with Amazon was terminated early, a dispute that led to a lawsuit later withdrawn.
Another widely debated episode in his personal life has been his relationship with Soon-Yi Previn, the adoptive daughter of Mia Farrow and André Previn. Allen began a relationship with her while he was still romantically involved with Farrow. Allen and Previn were married in Venice in 1997, when he was 62 and she was 27.
