Terrence Malick taking seven years to finish a film feels less like a delay and more like a personality trait at this point. Still, even by his standards, The Way of the Wind has tested everyone’s patience, including his loyal fans. Shooting wrapped back in 2019. It’s now 2026, and, according to reports, the film is still deep in post. If you’re keeping score at home, that’s the longest edit of Malick’s career by a wide margin. But there’s hope…
In a recent Mazsihisz podcast appearance, Géza Röhrig, who plays Jesus Christ, suggested the film might finally surface this year. Maybe May 2026, to be exact. And it might show up at Cannes. Possibly. Possibly much later. Possibly not. That’s how Terrence Malick. Röhrig also floated the idea that this could be the director’s final film, which makes a lot of sense when you remember Malick is actually 82 years old now. This final film also reportedly logged over 3,000 hours of footage. Yikes. No wonder the editing has taken this long.
But could his swansong film be his most important work to date?
Röhrig believes so. “We didn’t make such a picturesque, colorful Jesus film,” he said. “And presumably this is his swan song, this is his last film.” He described a three-month shoot across seven countries, a tiny crew, and barely any money. Not like Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ sequel, which apparently has a $250 million budget.
The cast alone suggests something very different for Malick. Röhrig is Jesus. Matthias Schoenaerts is Saint Peter, who may be sharing lead duties. Mark Rylance plays multiple versions of Satan, and apparently has a 28-minute philosophical monologue. There are also rumors that Jesus performs no miracles in the film.
Of course, skepticism follows Malick’s films today, especially since so many actors have watched their performances disappear in the editing room. Christopher Plummer once said Malick “needs a writer desperately”.
People panicked over three years of post-production on The Tree of Life – a film many consider to be one of the greatest filmmaking achievements of all time. Five years on Song to Song. But this is just Malick being Malick. Whether The Way of the Wind emerges in May, fall, or not at all, the process feels inseparable from the point. You don’t rush someone who treats editing like theology.
If The Way of the Wind is Terrence Malick’s final film, he’s going to make damn sure it says everything he wants to say. And, judging from his previous works, he has a lot to say.
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