Woody Allen Shows Apathy Towards making movies, Clamming the “Romance of Filmmaking Is Gone”

Filmmaker Woody Allen is undeniably an incredible filmmaker who has contributed to the film industry by delivering numerous incredible movies. Despite being a master of the filmmaking art, the director is skeptical about his future in the film industry. His latest film, Coup de Chance, will soon mark its release on a digital platform, but the film is still struggling to be released in North American markets. 

Considering the current situation, the filmmaker isn’t exactly sure what he wants to do next in the movie industry, as he feels “all the romance of filmmaking is gone.”

Why is Woody Allen skeptical about making more movies?

In 2023, Woody Allen’s directed film, Coup de Chance (translated as ‘Stroke of Luck), marked its release. However, unlike other countries, his film faced a delay in release in North American markets. Speaking with AirMail, the director showed nonchalance with the film’s release. He said, 

“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… And then that’s it. I mean, Annie Hall played in movie houses in New York for a little bit over a year. It’d be in one theater for six or seven months, and then somebody would pick it up, and it would hang around another few months. The whole business has changed, and not in an appealing way. All the romance of filmmaking is gone.”

Allen’s latest film, “Coup de Chance,” is a 2023 comedy-drama thriller starring Lou de Laâge, Valérie Lemercier, Melvil Poupaud, and Niels Schneider. It premiered at the 80th Venice International Film Festival on 4 September 2023. In February 2024, The Hollywood Reporter announced that MPI Media Group would release the film in the U.S. on April 5, followed by digital/VOD on April 12. 

Allen has previously contemplated his future in filmmaking, saying in 2022 that “a lot of the thrill is gone” for him in the streaming era. And in his latest interview, he shared that he was still “on the fence about it.”  Allen said, “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 is undeniably a great filmmaker whose career spans more than six decades. His art of filmmaking has been honored with numerous accolades, including four Academy Awards, ten BAFTA Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, and a Grammy Award. However, in recent years, Allen’s popularity in the U.S. has significantly decreased amid the #MeToo movement. The director was accused of sexual abuse from his adopted stepdaughter, Dylan Farrow. The allegation gained substantial media attention. But Allen was never charged or prosecuted and vehemently denied the allegation. 

The Hollywood industry remained largely divided over the allegation. While a faction defended Dylan’s allegation, others vouched for Allen’s innocence.