Wild Horse Nine, directed by Martin McDonagh and filmed in Rapa Nui a year ago, has unveiled its first images and plot details. Starring John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell as CIA agents, the film is set in the 1970s before the 1973 coup. It features Chilean actresses Mariana Di Girolamo and Paola Giannini.
In 2025, Rapa Nui served as the main filming location for Wild Horse Nine, the new film by Martin McDonagh, known for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. Produced by Disney's Searchlight Pictures, it features a star-studded cast including John Malkovich, Sam Rockwell, Steve Buscemi, Parker Posey, Tom Waits, and Chileans Mariana Di Girolamo, Paola Giannini, and Ailín Salas. Some scenes were shot in Santiago and Monument Valley, Arizona, with Fábula production services and local advice to follow community rules in Parque Nacional Rapa Nui, or Ma´u Henua. McDonagh drew inspiration from a trip to the island 13 years ago, captivated by the moai mystery. The plot, described as darkly funny, follows CIA agents Chris (Malkovich) and Lee (Rockwell) on an island mission just before the 1973 coup against Salvador Allende, testing their trust and loyalty. They have been involved in other key U.S. historical events. Di Girolamo and Salas play Chilean students who encounter them; Posey is Rockwell's wife. Malkovich, Rockwell's mentor in the film, stated: “Es un guión muy divertido, aunque mordaz. La vida está llena de arrepentimiento y tristeza” (It's a very funny script, though biting. Life is full of regret and sadness). The 55-year-old director noted it reflects on guilt and sins, adding that “it feels very current.” He praised the location: “It’s one of the most remote places on the planet, and that seems like a good place to shoot.” Searchlight Pictures will release it on November 6, timing it for awards season. It is guaranteed distribution in Chile, with no date yet.