A world premiere screening at the Venice Film Festival is supposed to be an incredible experience for any filmmaker. However, in the case of acclaimed director Olivier Assayas, the recent debut of his film, “Wasp Network,” wasn’t exactly what he had planned. And according to a new interview with Deadline, the filmmaker is prepared to make the necessary changes to ensure it doesn’t happen again.
According to Assayas, he’s going to take “Wasp Network” back to the editing bay after initial reviews from Venice weren’t exactly what he anticipated. Despite a star-studded cast and the acclaimed writer-director, the Cuban espionage film sports a 45% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on the reviews coming from Venice. So, with that knowledge, Assayas is going to tweak some things so that “Wasp Network” can be better than ever at the New York Film Festival.
“There are a few things that need clarification,” Assayas said. “There are a series of fixes I’ll make. I might shorten some parts and lengthen others. The running time won’t change considerably, but it’s about gaining fluidity. I want the film to be understood by those who aren’t aware of the complexities of the local politics. The fixes will be done for the New York Film Festival [screening].”
He continued, “The morning after I saw the film in Venice I sent a text message to [producer] Rodrigo [Teixeira] about changing elements of the film’s second half. I sensed there were moments when the audience had doubts, that they might be uncomfortable with the politics, and I thought they would be easy fixes.”
While we don’t know the extent of the changes that the filmmaker has in mind for his highly-anticipated film, he did shed some light on one thing that will definitely be altered for when the film shows up in New York.
“There will possibly be a little more Penelope Cruz because that’s the character we empathize with most,” he said.
Assayas concedes that the schedule to get the film done by Venice was less than ideal, calling it an “intense process.” Of course, a major film festival premiere is ideal for a film such as “Wasp Network,” but if the film isn’t well-received, the early screening can also be the kiss of death. Much like “Outlaw King” from last year, which was massively re-edited after a less-than-favorable TIFF debut, “Wasp Network” is going under the knife again in hopes that the film can be ready for its theatrical release.
