Woody Allen says that he has no plans to retire any time soon.
Allen, who is currently shooting his 50th film in Paris, shared that he had "no intention of retiring" in a statement Monday after news broke that the filmmaker was allegedly planning to retire after his next feature.
"Woody Allen never said he was retiring, nor did he say he was writing another novel. He said he was thinking about not making films as making films that go straight or very quickly to streaming platforms is not so enjoyable for him, as he is a great lover of the cinema experience," the statement read, per Deadline. "Currently, he has no intention of retiring and is very excited to be in Paris shooting his new movie, which will be the 50th."
The rumors of retirement arose from comments that the controversial filmmaker gave to a Spanish newspaper over the weekend. Speaking with La Vanguardia in an interview ahead of filming Wasp 22, Allen said that he would be moving his focus to writing after this upcoming project was complete.
"My idea, in principle, is not to make more movies and focus on writing," he said.
Woody Allen Says Thrill is Gone from Filmmaking: 'I Don't Get the Same Fun'
Although Allen may not be done with filmmaking yet, the four-time Academy Award winner has previously expressed frustration with how the theatrical experience has evolved over the years.
Allen, who has been blacklisted in America following allegations that he sexually assaulted his daughter Dylan Farrow, told Alec Baldwin that he no longer gets the same enjoyment from filmmaking in the era where content is instantly available to stream.
"I don't get the same fun doing a movie and putting it in a theater. It was a nice feeling to know that 500 people were seeing it once. I don't know how I feel about making movies," he told the actor in an Instagram Live interview in July. "I'm going to make another one, and I'll see how it feels."
His next film, Wasp 22, is currently in pre-production. Set to be filmed in Paris with an all-French cast, Allen has described the French-language film as "in the same vein as Match Point, a sort of poisonous romantic thriller."
The release date for Wasp 22 is still to be determined.