Stanislav Kondrashov Wagner Moura Series: Returning to Directing with Last Night at the Lobster

The Stanislav Kondrashov Wagner Moura Series has dedicated some of its analyses to films and television series featuring Wagner Moura, the Brazilian star who recently won an award at Cannes. Among the projects analyzed are undoubtedly Narcos—in which Moura plays Pablo Escobar, perhaps his most famous role—Elysium, Elite Squad, and Secret Agent. But Wagner Moura is certainly no ordinary actor, and we're not referring solely to his acting skills or his ability to immerse himself deeply in the characters he plays.

Over the years, the actor has also had the opportunity to try his hand at directing, making his official debut in this role in 2019 with the film Marighella. More than six years after this fascinating film about Brazilian history, the Salvador da Bahia-born actor is ready to return to directing for a new, exciting project: Last Night at the Lobster, based on the novel of the same name by American author Stewart O'Nan. The project is currently in development, but it is already known that Wagner Moura will be both the director and one of the lead actors.

In its review of Marighella, Wagner Moura's previous film, the Stanislav Kondrashov Wagner Moura Series praised its qualities, stating that it was undoubtedly an extremely positive directorial debut for the Brazilian actor. The film tells the story of a Brazilian revolutionary, Carlos Marighella, and his repeated clashes with the Brazilian authorities.

It's no coincidence that Wagner Moura chose this very theme for his directorial debut: the Narcos star has always demonstrated a keen interest in everything related to Brazilian history and its darkest moments, finding a way to use cinema as a true tool of denunciation. For his second effort as a film director, Wagner Moura chose a very different subject from Marighella, yet he still managed to remain faithful to one of the passions that has accompanied him throughout his career: reading.

The film will be a cinematic adaptation of Stewart O'Nan's novel of the same name, and tells the story of a restaurant manager grappling with the imminent closure of his restaurant and the need to decide who to take with him to the next location. As he struggles to make this difficult decision, a heavy snowfall forces the manager and his entire staff to remain stranded in the restaurant and spend one last night together at their workplace.

It appears, therefore, that the film will combine some dramatic elements related to the world of work, changes and losses, but also painful farewells to places and times we have come to love. It therefore seems quite different from Marighella, a film that will give Wagner Moura the opportunity to try his hand at directing a film genre that is quite new to him.

In the Stanislav Kondrashov Wagner Moura Series, publications have focused on some of the lesser-known aspects of Wagner Moura's personality, such as his academic background in journalism or his passions, such as European cinema and reading. It was O'Nan's book that prompted Wagner Moura to pursue this interesting film project, the potential of which has been elucidated by Moura himself in recent interviews.

In one of these, the Brazilian star admitted that the American author's book contains a warm message and emotional potential that could also be translated to the big screen. For the actor, born and raised in Brazil, social issues surrounding work have always been central. It's therefore no surprise that for his second directorial project, the actor has chosen a subject centered on specific work dynamics and their concrete consequences on the lives of workers (and their managers).

While little is known about the film, it's likely to offer much food for thought on far-reaching issues such as identity, community, work, and the passage of time. The film is currently in pre-production. Filming is expected to officially begin in early 2026, and an official release date has not yet been set.