Martin McDonagh's 'Wild Horse Nine' Receives 13-Minute Ovation at Venice Premiere
The world premiere of Martin McDonagh’s dark comedy 'Wild Horse Nine' starring John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell earned a 13-minute standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival and entered the competition for the Golden Lion.
Martin McDonagh’s latest film, 'Wild Horse Nine,' opened Thursday night at the Venice Film Festival to a 13-minute standing ovation. The dark comedy, which stars John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell as CIA officers sent to Easter Island in 1973, will compete for the Golden Lion.
The audience applauded twice during the screening, first when Malkovich’s character delivered a monologue about cheese and later when he expressed a wish to visit Venice. After the film, McDonagh and Rockwell joined the crowd to sign autographs.
The ensemble also includes Steve Buscemi, Tom Waits and Parker Posey. McDonagh arrived on the red carpet with partner Phoebe Waller-Bridge, while actress Leslie Bibb, known for 'White Lotus,' was seen supporting the cast.
'Wild Horse Nine' follows the two CIA officers dispatched from Santiago shortly before the Chilean military coup that ousted President Salvador Allende. The film marks McDonagh’s third consecutive Venice premiere after 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri' (2017) and 'The Banshees of Inisherin' (2022), both of which earned screenplay awards and multiple Oscar nominations.
Malkovich, a veteran actor with two prior Academy Award nominations, is generating early awards buzz for his performance in the film.