Phoenix 24
At 90, the filmmaker is turning the Spanish capital into both setting and character.
Madrid
Woody Allen has presented his next film in Madrid, marking the beginning of what will become the 51st feature of his career. Filming is scheduled to start on October 5 and will continue for approximately six weeks across more than 30 locations in Madrid and Aranjuez.
The project, provisionally titled Wasp 2026, will combine romance, intrigue and infidelity within a contemporary diplomatic setting. The cast includes Alexi Wasser, Jemima Kirke, Peter Vives, Marton Csokas and Jakob Oftebro, while a substantial part of the technical crew will be Spanish.
The film has an estimated budget of around €12 million. Madrid’s regional government and City Council will contribute €1.5 million each through sponsorship agreements, bringing total public support to €3 million, approximately one quarter of the production budget.
Those agreements are tied directly to promoting Madrid internationally. The city must appear in the final title of the film, and recognizable locations are expected to have a visible presence on screen. Local authorities are presenting the production as part of a broader strategy to strengthen Madrid’s position as a destination for cinema, tourism and international cultural investment.
Allen has repeatedly used cities as central elements of his films. New York shaped much of his early work, while Barcelona, Paris and Rome later became part of his cinematic geography. Madrid is now being positioned within that same tradition, not merely as a backdrop but as an active component of the story.
During the presentation, Allen largely avoided commenting on current political controversies in Spain. Asked about protests linked to Madrid’s housing crisis, he said his films have generally focused on relationships, existential questions and romantic conflict rather than contemporary political causes. He did, however, express concern about the rise of fascism and censorship.
The project also arrives with the longstanding controversies surrounding Allen still attached to his public image. Allegations made by Dylan Farrow have continued to generate debate for decades, while Allen has consistently denied wrongdoing and was never criminally charged.
Allen has again suggested that retirement remains possible, acknowledging the physical demands of filmmaking at his age. Yet Madrid proved sufficiently attractive to bring him back behind the camera once more.
The city is not simply financing another international production. It is buying a place inside the visual language of one of cinema’s longest careers.
Narrative is power too.