Woody Allen denies he is retiring from filmmaking

Woody Allen has denied reports that he is retiring from filmmaking after his 50th movie, Wasp 22.

Remarks made by the 86-year-old filmmaker in an interview last week appeared to suggest he was planning to move away from filmmaking and focus instead on writing novels.

He told Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia: “My idea, in principle, is not to make more movies and focus on writing.”

Allen added that he imagined his novel would “have a lot of humour because that’s what comes naturally to me”.

Now, in a statement given to The Independent by his spokesperson, Allen has denied that he has any plans to retire.

“Woody Allen never said he was retiring, not did he say he was writing another novel,” they said.

“He said he was thinking about not making films as making films that go straight or very quickly to streaming platforms is not so enjoyable for him, as he is a great lover of the cinema experience.

“Currently, he has no intention of retiring and is very excited to be in Paris shooting his new movie.”

Wasp 22 will be shot almost entirely in French, and is rumoured to star Isabelle Huppert. No plot details have yet been revealed, but Allen apparently told La Vanguardia: “It will be similar to Match Point. Exciting, dramatic and also sinister.”

Allen has received a record-breaking 16 Academy Award nominations for Best Screenplay, for films from Blue Jasmine, Midnight in Paris and Match Point. He has won four Oscars, including one for Best Director for his 1977 satirical romcom Annie Hall.

In recent years, Allen has been embroiled in controversy after his adopted daughter, Dylan Farrow, accused him of molesting her as a child. Allen has denied the allegations and no charges have been brought against him.