Woody Allen Presents His 51st Film in Madrid
Woody Allen was joined by Alexi Wasser and Peter Vives in Madrid on 1 October 2026 to discuss his new, still-untitled film, which begins shooting in the city on 5 October.
Madrid is about to become the setting for Woody Allen’s 51st feature film.
At a press conference in the Spanish capital on 1 October, Allen appeared alongside two of the film’s stars, Alexi Wasser and Peter Vives, to talk about the new production, its setting and what audiences might expect when it eventually reaches cinemas.
The film remains untitled, although Madrid will form part of the eventual title. Allen explained that he generally waits until a film is finished before deciding what to call it.
Why Madrid?
Allen revealed that the story required what he described as a diplomatic atmosphere, and Madrid quickly became his preferred location.
He already knew the city from previous visits and felt its architecture, streets and character suited the story he had written. For someone coming from New York, he said, European cities still possess an unfamiliar quality that makes them particularly attractive on screen.
The film will be a contemporary comedy combining romance, intrigue and infidelity. Allen was understandably cautious about giving away much more before filming had even begun, pointing out that the finished film can change considerably once all its elements come together.
Madrid will provide most of the locations, with filming also planned in Aranjuez. Shooting begins on 5 October and is expected to continue for around six weeks.
Alexi Wasser and Peter Vives on their characters
Wasser and Vives were active participants in the press conference, with both taking questions and offering the first small clues about their roles.
Wasser said she felt remarkably close to her character and joked that she had been preparing for the part all her life. She also made a comparison with Manhattan Murder Mystery, although she stopped short of giving away much about the plot.
Vives revealed a little more. His character is a diplomat married to the film’s female protagonist.
Allen also spoke about casting the pair. After considering a number of actors and carrying out readings, he said Wasser and Vives immediately sounded right for the characters as he had imagined them.
They form part of a cast that also includes Jemima Kirke, Marton Csokas and Jakob Oftebro.
A familiar Allen mixture
The few details Allen did reveal place the project firmly in territory he has returned to throughout his career: relationships, attraction, marriage, betrayal and the complications people create for themselves.
He described the film as containing romance, comedy, intrigue and infidelity, but was careful not to promise what sort of film would emerge once shooting was complete.
That uncertainty is nothing new. Allen has often spoken about the distance between the film imagined on the page and the one that finally appears on screen.
One of the more amusing moments came when he discussed how his directing style has changed over the years. Allen joked that he now favours longer takes partly because he has become “more lazy”, allowing scenes to play out with fewer set-ups and fewer takes. What began as convenience, he suggested, eventually became part of his filmmaking style.
A Spanish crew
The new film will reunite Allen with costume designer Sonia Grande, who has worked on several of his previous films.
Veteran Spanish cinematographer José Luis Alcaine will serve as director of photography. Alcaine’s career includes extensive work with Pedro Almodóvar and other major Spanish filmmakers, making his involvement particularly interesting given Allen’s intention to make Madrid such a strong visual presence in the film.
The production is being made with a largely Spanish technical crew, and Madrid itself is expected to feature prominently rather than simply acting as an anonymous backdrop.
No retirement yet
Perhaps the most welcome comment for Allen’s followers concerned his future.
At 90, and preparing to make film number 51, he made clear that he has not decided to retire. For now, his attention is on making this film and seeing whether the finished result matches the one currently in his head.
After Coup de Chance took him to Paris and the French language, the next chapter takes him south to Madrid.
Filming starts on 5 October.
The full Madrid press conference
Watch Woody Allen, Alexi Wasser and Peter Vives take questions about the new film at the Madrid press conference on 1 October 2026.