Quick summary
- Martin McDonagh‘s Wild Horse Nine is set shortly before the 1973 Chilean coup, according to the Irish Film & Television Network (IFTN).
- Two CIA agents are sent from Santiago to Easter Island, played by John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell.
- Searchlight Pictures is the distributor, and IFTN gives 6 November 2026 as the release date.
- It is McDonagh’s first feature since The Banshees of Inisherin.
A first clip from Wild Horse Nine arrived ahead of the film’s Venice premiere, and the coverage fills in who is in it and what it is about. IFTN reports that the Wild Horse Nine cast is led by John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell as a pair of longtime CIA partners.
What is Wild Horse Nine about?
The story begins shortly before the 1973 Chilean coup. Malkovich and Rockwell play Chris and Lee, agents who are sent from Santiago to Easter Island by their bureau chief, MJ. IFTN says the partners are dealing with troubled pasts and a series of present-day conspiracies.
Things get complicated when Chris forms a connection with two rebellious students, played by Mariana di Girolamo and Ailín Salas. According to IFTN, that relationship threatens to derail the agents’ assignment on the remote island. The report does not reveal how the plot resolves.
Who is in the cast?
Steve Buscemi plays the bureau chief, MJ. The film also stars Tom Waits and Parker Posey, though IFTN does not say which roles they play.
McDonagh produces alongside Graham Broadbent, Pete Czernin and Anita Overland, according to the same report.
How it follows The Banshees of Inisherin
IFTN describes Wild Horse Nine as McDonagh’s first feature since The Banshees of Inisherin. That film received nine Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and nominations for McDonagh’s writing and direction.
The new project also reunites him with Rockwell. The pair worked together on Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, which earned seven nominations. Rockwell won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for it, and Frances McDormand took Best Actress.
For readers who want more on the filmmaker, our Martin McDonagh tag page collects everything we have published, and the Movies section covers new releases.
What happens next
IFTN gives Searchlight Pictures’ release date as 6 November 2026. That report was published around the clip, so the date may already have passed by the time you read this. The sources do not include an Australian release date or session times, so check your local cinema listings.
A second item in the brief, a video from Comic Book Resources titled “Martin McDonagh Explains His Number Obsession”, could not be read, so nothing from it is reported here.
Frequently asked questions
Who stars in Wild Horse Nine?
John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell play the lead CIA agents, with Steve Buscemi as their bureau chief. Tom Waits and Parker Posey also star, according to IFTN.
When is Wild Horse Nine set?
It is set shortly before the 1973 Chilean coup, with the action moving from Santiago to Easter Island.
Who is releasing Wild Horse Nine?
Searchlight Pictures. IFTN lists 6 November 2026 as the release date.
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