John Malkovich has no plans to retire as 'Wild Horse Nine' sparks Oscar buzz

John Malkovich has made it clear that retirement is not on his mind, even as his performance in Martin McDonagh’s Wild Horse Nine generates early Oscar buzz at the 2026 Venice Film Festival.

The 72-year-old actor addressed the possibility of retirement while attending Venice for the premiere of Wild Horse Nine, where he was also asked about the growing awards-season attention surrounding his performance.

Malkovich has already received two Oscar nominations during his long career, for Places in the Heart in 1985 and In the Line of Fire in 1994. Asked whether he had started thinking about a potential acceptance speech for another nomination, the actor played down the awards talk and instead praised the film and its ensemble.

“This is an incredible kindness. For me, it’s a very nice thing. But the nicest thing is that the film is getting attention,” Malkovich said. He added that the movie features “several extraordinary performers” and is “beautifully written and directed”, stressing that this is what matters most to him.

When it comes to stepping away from acting, however, Malkovich said he has no intention of doing so.

“I’ve done and always done what I like in my life and I intend to continue doing it,” he said at the Venice press conference. “I don’t want to stop, I don’t want to retire.”

Malkovich stars in Wild Horse Nine as Chris, a CIA agent who is sent to Easter Island with fellow agent Lee, played by Sam Rockwell, shortly before the 1973 Chilean coup. The pair find themselves confronting their pasts and the consequences of their work while stationed among the island’s famous statues.

Directed and written by McDonagh, the film also stars Steve Buscemi, Mariana Di Girolamo, Ailín Salas, Tom Waits and Parker Posey. The darkly comic drama is competing for the Golden Lion at the 83rd Venice Film Festival.

Malkovich’s performance has already positioned him as a potential awards contender. The actor, whose previous Oscar nominations came more than three decades ago, has generally remained less interested in awards campaigning than in the work itself.

In a recent interview with the Los Angeles Times, Malkovich described work as “the best companion, the best therapy, the greatest joy” and said he never believed retirement was a particularly appealing idea.

Wild Horse Nine is scheduled to open in cinemas on November 6, 2026, giving Malkovich’s latest performance plenty of time to remain in the conversation as the awards season develops.