Woody Allen generally churns out one movie a year. For decades, he’s had a whole system in place – he’s writing a new script as he’s editing a film. By the time a film comes out, he’s already in production on another one. He churned out one film a year like clockwork, some of them award-winners (Blue Jasmine, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Midnight In Paris), some of them utterly forgotten and uneventful. So what’s changed? The world. The appetite to look the other way when a “brilliant artist” is a predator in real life. Woody’s alleged molestation of his daughter Dylan Farrow got wrapped up in the #MeToo movement too, because Dylan forced the issue. And now it seems like Woody can’t get his annual films financed.
Woody Allen, after decades of churning out at least one movie a year, is taking a long-deserved break. “A Rainy Day in New York” — Allen’s 48th feature film — wrapped filming in November and is set to be released by Amazon before the end of the year. Negotiated in 2016 by then-studio head Roy Price, Amazon has a deal with Allen that leaves Amazon on the hook for three more films after “Rainy Day.” Earlier this year, a Hollywood Reporter article said that Amazon may decide to break the deal even if that means a hefty payout.
And the Woodman, 82, has no movie ready for release in 2019. IMDb lists an “Untitled Woody Allen Project” in pre-production for 2020. But sources say Allen has yet to secure financing for the project.
“Woody loves working. He never takes a vacation. But he will be taking time off this year until he can find a backer,” said one source.
“Woody always got great actors. Stars would work for scale because it gave them prestige, but with the #MeToo movement, he’s toxic,” one Hollywood producer told me.
Allen had troubles even before #MeToo. “His movies don’t make money,” said my source. “For years, he’s been going from one financier to another. He even went to Europe. But he’s run out of options.” A spokesman for Allen said, “None of this is true.”
It will be very interesting to see what Amazon does with his contract. His deal with Amazon was supposed to be a good deal for him, not because he would reap some huge financial windfall, but because Amazon was just going to quietly finance his projects and give him complete control, which is all he’s ever wanted as a filmmaker. His movies don’t make any money at the box office, which is another reason why Amazon was a good deal for him – they’re not about box office. As for this somewhat forced hiatus… I mean, we could gloat and say that thank God he’s having to face some repercussions. But he’s also an 82 year old man with multiple Oscars who might legitimately want to go into semi-retirement. Ugh.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
I don’t care the reason, just happy that him and his big pleated pants are taking a seat.
I’d love to hope so but given how he is treated and the passes he has had, I doubt it.
His behaviour, in an ordinary civilian, would have seen him in prison and on a sex offender register.
I’d be happy to have every scrap of his work erased.
I doubt this too. I think it has more to do with the fact his movies have actually gotten bad with his age, and he has gotten far lazier in producing them. I think he is taking a break. See this article on him and film making and I think it is pretty accurate. https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/10/woody-allen-wonder-wheel/537876/
Now as far as if he was an ordinary citizen and him in prison. Nope I disagree. Mainly because during the time this was adjudicated. Mia Farrow did everything she could to get him to justice. Ronan and Dylan brought it to light later. Reality is if he was Joe Schlub no one would know the story now, and he most likely wouldn’t have been convicted at the time either. Most predators weren’t. He also hasn’t been accused of any other victims since. Which does make the case a bit more complicated. This wasn’t a money or power thing with Woody. For one reason Mia had resources too. It was a times were much different thing.
@No Way, i thought that was a really interesting read on the situation, thanks for that!
I would like to see Mia Farrow take the same response.Since the case of Asia Argento Moses Farrow need to be heard.
Abuse are from both ways.
Good. Disgusting perv.
The payout is galling but if this man isn’t going to face any legal repercussions in his life at least he will be ending his career in some kind of professional disgrace.
Good. Go away.
Writing the script, translation: changing the city where a 50 something old man gets his hands on a barely legal girl.
I have never watched a Woody Allen film and never will.
Hope the above is true and he never works again.
I don’t see WA taking a break from film making unless he HAD TO!
Not being able to ogle younger women in lovely locales, using natural lighting as he stares at an actor who is playing his emotional/psychological doppelganger? Ain’t no WAY he would walk away from that voluntarily….in my opinion…
@LaLa
I was thinking the same thing. I don’t care how old he is, this break is being forced on him I’m sure of it.
Haven’t watched a Woody Allen or Polanski production in 30 years and never will.
For all I care he can just quietly die. The world doesn’t need more variations on his one movie.
It’s not quite true that his movies don’t make money. “Midnight in Paris” was the biggest hit of his career and made a lot of cash. “VCB” and “Blue Jasmine” made money. He generally has a hit, then 2-3 flops, then another big hit, then another few flops. That’s the pattern. He made enough money that Amazon gave him a lush deal. But he IS toxic right now, so if he can’t find a backer (which probably isn’t true at all) that’s the reason. And that’s a sign of a real, fundamental shift.
A lowlife.
The man needs a trial, just like all the rest of people who have been accused of a crime. There is no other way to resolve this for anyone – the people involved and the public, – and move on already.
I remember that line from Catastrophe, when they talked about a new Woody Allen movie, starring “Robert Duvall and Emma Watson as star-crossed lovers in Venice”. 😂
Let’s hope the the #MeToo era means forever and “take a break” means his career is over.
Can he take a permanent break from breathing?
It’s not a break … no one wants to work with him …. how shocking! #goawaywoody