Woody Allen, the King of Comedy, Ready to Retire?

Woody Allen, the king of comedy, has evidently walked back his announcement of retirement from filmmaking, which would be the true end of an era in the industry. The eighty-six year old writer, director, actor, and producer, whose career has spanned almost fifty-seven years, has received over 145 film awards and 228 nominations.

The news came during his trip to Europe, where he is currently shooting his fiftieth film. First reported in the Spanish newspaper, La Vanguardia, Allen allegedly stated that he was ready to step back from making movies and that the one he was currently working on would be his last.

A representative for Allen has, however, now released a statement in which he said “Woody Allen never said he was retiring, nor did he say he was writing another novel.”

The same representative revealed that Woody Allen merely found making films that went straight or quickly through to streaming platforms unenjoyable since he is a lover of the whole cinema experience.

“Currently,” the representative reported, “Woody Allen has no intention of retiring and is very excited to be in Paris shooting his new movie, which will be the fiftieth.”

Play it Again Sam: The King of Comedy’s Latest

Word in the film industry had it that the director was thinking of stepping back in order to dedicate more time to writing. Although that now appears to be under dispute, it would not be a surprise, as it was Woody Allen’s writing that threw him into the filmmaking spotlight and earned him his place in Hollywood.

Now, after the release of his last film, Rifkin’s Festival, Allen has evidently set his sights on Paris and a French language film similar to Match Point, the psychological thriller penned in 2005 starring Scarlet Johansson and Jonathan Rhys Meyers. Financing for the new film was not yet in place at the time he spoke of it, but cast and crew have been approached.

Stardust Memories: Woody Allen, the Legend

Woody Allen has had his share of scandals in the past, but it is nothing that has deterred him from continuing to thrill moviegoers with his brand of sometimes dark but always poignant humor. His films are legendary, and many of them have not only become immortal but also made his actors, such as Diane Keaton and Mia Farrow, his ex-wife, iconic.

It was Mia Farrow who made the harrowing allegations of sexual abuse against the then beloved director. Allen has also once again recently disputed those claims. No matter what has happened in the past, however, in comedy, Woody Allen is still king. If, therefore, he were to retire, it would be the loss of one of Hollywood’s greatest celebrities.

Rifkin’s Festival