Martin McDonagh’s latest film, ‘Wild Horse Nine,’ premiered at the Venice Film Festival on Thursday evening, delivering what organizers described as the festival’s first major standing ovation of the year. The dark comedy-drama, which stars John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell in leading roles, received a 14-minute ovation from the Sala Grande audience—the longest applause of the 2026 edition. The ensemble cast also includes Steve Buscemi, Tom Waits, and Parker Posey, among other established character actors.
Set in the period immediately preceding the 1973 military coup in Chile, the film follows two CIA operatives, Chris and Lee, portrayed by Malkovich and Rockwell respectively. Stationed in Santiago, the partners are assigned to Easter Island by their bureau chief, where they confront their complicated shared history against the backdrop of the island’s iconic Moai statues. Their mission becomes complicated when Chris develops an unexpected connection with two Chilean students, portrayed by Mariana di Girolamo and Ailín Salas, creating tensions that threaten both their partnership and the covert operation in which they are involved.
McDonagh, who also wrote and directed the film, conceived the project following a personal trip to Easter Island more than a decade ago. The filmmaker was inspired by the island’s distinctive landscape, its isolated location, and the wild horses inhabiting the terrain, though it took considerable time to develop a narrative around the setting. The production is supported by Searchlight Pictures and marks McDonagh’s directorial effort since ‘The Banshees of Inisherin,’ which won Venice’s best screenplay and best actor awards in 2022 and went on to receive nine Academy Award nominations.
At the film’s press conference, McDonagh remarked that while he did not initially intend the work as contemporary political commentary, the narrative concerning covert American intervention has acquired unforeseen present-day relevance. The film competes among 21 titles vying for the Golden Lion in the festival’s main competition, with winners to be announced on Sept. 12. The production features cinematography by Ben Davis and is produced by McDonagh alongside Graham Broadbent and Pete Czernin. Searchlight Pictures plans a U.S. theatrical release for Nov. 6, following presentations at additional festivals in Telluride and Toronto.
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