Woody Allen May Retire, Says ‘All the Romance of Filmmaking Is Gone’

One of Hollywood’s long-time storytellers is thinking about calling it quits. In a film career spanning almost 60 years, which includes critically acclaimed titles like Annie Hall, Hannah and Her Sisters and Midnight in Paris, filmmaker Woody Allen is “on the fence about” making more movies. And in a brand-new interview with Air Mail news, Allen declares that “all the romance of filmmaking is gone.” Allen said (per Deadline):

“I’m on the fence about it. I don’t want to have to go out to raise money. I find that a pain in the neck. But if someone shows up and calls in and says we want to back the film, then I would seriously consider it. I would probably not have the willpower to say no, because I have so many ideas.”

Allen continues:

“It doesn’t matter to me whether I get distributed here or not. Once I make it, I don’t follow it anymore.
Distribution is no longer what it was. Now distribution is two weeks in a cinema. The whole business has changed, and not in an appealing way
. All the romance of filmmaking is gone […] Someone asked me about cancel culture, and I said, ‘
If you’re going to be cancelled, this is the culture that you want to be cancelled from
.’ Because who wants to be part of this culture?”

Woody Allen’s Legacy and His ‘Stroke of Luck’

Clearly, Woody Allen is one of the most divisive directors. Allen went from working in the Sid Caesar Show’s writing room, which featured a who’s who of young talent like Mel Brooks, Neil Simon and Carl Reiner, to penning the screenplay for the feature film What’s New Pussycat (1965). Disgusted by the motion picture’s outcome and a lack of creative control, Allen went on to make his own movies with complete autonomy. And for the most part, at least until the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, Allen cranked out at least one new movie every single year.

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While his professional life thrived, Allen was caught up in controversy in his day-to-day world. But along the way to becoming one of the most prolific filmmakers, Allen won a total of four Academy Awards for his work on Annie Hall (Best Original Screenplay, Best Director), Hannah and Her Sisters (Best Original Screenplay) and Midnight in Paris (Best Original Screenplay). Midnight in Paris (2011) came later in Allen’s career when he began leaving New York City to shoot his movies on location across the globe. And Midnight in Paris became his largest-grossing film of all time, making $151.7 million worldwide (per Box Office Mojo).

The last project Allen filmed was also his 50th movie, Coup de chance, which translates to “stroke of luck” in English. The erotic thriller received a five-minute standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival, and has now been released in theaters as of April 5. But only time will tell if this will indeed mark the end of Allen’s long and storied career.