McDonagh's 'Wild Horse Nine' Premieres in Venice with Contemporary Political Echoes

The film, set in 1973 Chile, follows two CIA operatives dispatched to Easter Island during the U.S. campaign against the elected government. McDonagh noted the story's unexpected relevance to recent U.S. military actions, while contrasting the era's covert operations with today's more overt interventions. The cast includes John Malkovich, Sam Rockwell, Steve Buscemi, and Parker Posey.

The Venice premiere brought together McDonagh's ensemble, with Tom Waits notably absent from the photocall. The film marks McDonagh's return to the festival after *The Banshees of Inisherin* earned Venice prizes and nine Oscar nominations in 2022. Set against Easter Island's Moai statues, the story follows two CIA partners sent to undermine Chile's elected government before the 1973 coup.

McDonagh spent over a decade developing the project after visiting Easter Island, drafting versions centered on a father-son duo and actor characters before settling on the CIA premise. He acknowledged the film's unintended parallels to recent U.S. actions in Venezuela, while noting a key shift: today's interventions lack the secrecy of Cold War-era operations. The script also touches on CIA activities in Guatemala, the Congo, and the Bay of Pigs.