Martin McDonagh’s ‘Wild Horse Nine’ Earns Rotten Tomatoes’ Seal of Approval Ahead of Theatrical Release

Martin McDonagh has built a reputation on sharp, darkly funny films like ‘In Bruges’, ‘Seven Psychopaths’ and ‘Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri’. His latest, ‘Wild Horse Nine’, has been one of the most talked-about titles on the festival circuit this fall.

The black comedy thriller premiered in the main competition at the Venice International Film Festival in September, where John Malkovich won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor. It then had its North American premiere at Telluride and also screened at San Sebastián, building strong awards buzz along the way.

With just days to go before it opens in theaters, the film has hit another milestone. ‘Wild Horse Nine’ is now Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with a 93% score based on 120 reviews, as DiscussingFilm noted.

That’s an improvement on its early festival numbers. When the first wave of reviews arrived, the film sat at 90% from 39 critics with an average rating of 8.4 out of 10, while its Metacritic score is 80, indicating generally favorable reviews.

The story is a fictional satire set against a real historical backdrop. Shortly before the 1973 Chilean coup, CIA bureau chief MJ sends officers Chris and Lee from Santiago to Easter Island.

Martin McDonagh’s ‘WILD HORSE NINE’ is now Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes at 93% • Starring John Malkovich, Sam Rockwell, Steve Buscemi, Parker Posey, & Tom Waits. Read our review: https://t.co/4MghQDqNUy https://t.co/fDs3dj7A9s

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) November 2, 2026

There, the longtime partners face their dark pasts and the conspiracies around them. Chris also forms a bond with 2 rebellious college students, which complicates the trip. Malkovich plays Chris, a veteran CIA officer with terminal cancer who mentors Lee, played by Sam Rockwell. Steve Buscemi plays MJ, Parker Posey is Lee’s wife, Marge, and Tom Waits plays Chris’ brother, with Mariana di Girolamo and Ailín Salas as the 2 students.

Critics have widely praised the central duo. Screen Daily highlighted the electric performances from Malkovich and Rockwell and said the film is far more interested in the personal than the political.

The outlet credited McDonagh with balancing poignant drama and dark comedy, and it singled out Ben Davis’ cinematography, Mikkel E. G. Nielsen’s editing and Carter Burwell’s score. It also described the island setting as a character in its own right.

The official trailer for Martin McDonagh’s ‘WILD HORSE NINE’ has been released. Starring John Malkovich, Sam Rockwell, Steve Buscemi, Mariana di Girólamo, Ailín Salas, Tom Waits and Parker Posey. In theaters this fall. https://t.co/fKHjVkU1VJ

— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) March 19, 2026

Screen Daily called the film a solid all-rounder that examines the shapeshifting nature of truth and memory without preaching, and it predicted awards attention. RogerEbert.com went further, declaring that McDonagh has done it again.

The project was first reported in February 2025, with Mark Ruffalo originally set to star. Ruffalo later exited, and Buscemi stepped in a month later. Principal photography began on Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island, in March 2025. Production then moved to Santiago, filming at a rayuela club in Conchalí, at Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport and in the city center before wrapping at the end of April.

Searchlight Pictures releases ‘Wild Horse Nine’ in theaters in the United States and the United Kingdom on November 6. The film is rated R and runs 1 hour and 58 minutes. The co-production between the UK, the US, and Chile arrives with plenty of momentum.

With Malkovich’s Venice win and strong reviews behind it, the film looks set to stay in the awards conversation for months. For McDonagh fans, the Certified Fresh badge suggests the filmmaker has delivered another bitingly funny and emotional story built around 2 complicated men.

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