According to Euronews, Allen was accompanied at the presentation by the head of the Madrid autonomous community, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, and the mayor of the Spanish capital, José Luis Martínez-Almeida. The city hall and the regional government will provide the project with 1.5 million euros each as part of sponsorship agreements aimed at promoting Madrid. The total budget for the film is estimated at around 12 million euros. Thus, public funds will cover about a quarter of the expenses. The film does not yet have a final title — the project is referred to by the working title Wasp 2026. It is known that it will be a contemporary comedy in which romantic relationships, intrigues, and marital infidelities unfold against a diplomatic backdrop. The film will feature Alexi Wasser, Jemima Kirke, Peter Vives, Marton Csokas, and Jakob Oftebro. A significant portion of the crew will consist of Spanish specialists. The work on the film will last about six weeks, and shooting is planned at more than 30 locations in Madrid and Aranjuez. An interesting condition is included in the financing agreement for the project: the word "Madrid" must be included in the final title of the film, and the city itself must be well recognized on screen. Authorities hope that the film will help strengthen the international image of the Spanish capital as a tourist, cultural, and cinematographic center. During the presentation, Allen was also asked about the protests due to the housing crisis in Madrid. The director preferred not to comment on this topic, noting that he has never considered himself a political filmmaker. According to him, he is much more interested in human relationships, love, and existential questions. At the same time, Allen stated that he is concerned about the rise of fascism and has always opposed its manifestations. The new film will be another Spanish project for the director after "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" and "Rifkin's Festival." Allen also spoke again about the possible end of his career. The director admitted that working on films is becoming increasingly exhausting for him. He had previously mentioned his intention to retire from cinema, but the offer to shoot a new story in Madrid turned out to be too attractive to refuse.
