Martin McDonagh’s new film Wild Horse Nine is drawing attention as its release nears, both for its festival journey and its critical scores. The film opens wide in the US, UK and Ireland on November 6, 2026. Here is its path so far.
Festival premiere
The film had its world premiere in the main competition of the Venice Film Festival on September 3, 2026, and was in the running for the Golden Lion. It then had its North American premiere at the Telluride Film Festival, and also plays festivals such as Toronto and London.
What critics say
The film holds about 93 percent positive across roughly 100 reviews, with an 8.2 out of 10 average, and 79 out of 100 on Metacritic, meaning “generally favourable”. Write-ups single out the performances of John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell. Some critics see the film as a variation on McDonagh’s earlier work and a CIA satire that is not sharp enough, while others describe it as a crowd-pleaser.
Story and cast
The film is set just before the 1973 coup in Chile; two CIA operatives, Chris and Lee, are dispatched to Easter Island. The cast includes John Malkovich, Sam Rockwell, Steve Buscemi, Mariana di Girolamo and Ailín Salas. The runtime is 117 minutes.
Release calendar
Searchlight Pictures handles US distribution. The film met audiences in early-access screenings in some theaters on October 30, and gets a limited release in South Korea on November 4. Although the earliest catalogue date reads October 30, the wide release is November 6. There is no announcement for Turkey.
In awards season
In early awards forecasts the film is named among the strong Best Picture candidates on many lists. Forecasts are early and may change.
Frequently asked questions
When does Wild Horse Nine open? November 6, 2026 in the US and UK.
Where did it premiere? The Venice Film Festival.
What is its critics score? About 93 percent.
Who stars? John Malkovich, Sam Rockwell, Steve Buscemi, Mariana di Girolamo and Ailín Salas.
