Werner Herzog's Unstoppable Creative Surge: Defying Retirement at 80

Werner Herzog BioSnap a weekly updated Biography.

Werner Herzog has commanded headlines and industry buzz over the past several days with a flurry of significant developments, continuing to defy retirement rumors and solidifying his legacy as a cinematic trailblazer. Variety reports that Herzog will be honored with the 2025 Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the upcoming Venice Film Festival, a recognition he describes as feeling like a medal for his work and a fitting tribute for the director behind classics like Aguirre, the Wrath of God and Fitzcarraldo. However, as Herzog made clear in his acceptance statement, he has not gone into retirement and remains fiercely prolific. He just wrapped a new nature documentary Ghost Elephants in Angola, which is set to screen out of competition in Venice, and is actively shooting his next feature, Bucking Fastard, in Ireland. Herzog is also making his animation debut with The Twilight World, based on his novel about Hiroo Onoda, the Japanese soldier who continued fighting World War II for decades after its conclusion. Sun Creature Studio, the team behind Oscar-nominated Flee, will handle production, while Herzog himself will narrate and co-write the project.

In addition to his directorial endeavors, Herzog is lending his unmistakable voice to Bong Joon Ho’s upcoming animated film by voicing a creature, underscoring his ongoing influence in international cinema. On the advice front, Herzog made news in an interview with CBS and IndieWire by encouraging aspiring filmmakers to take real jobs—like working in sex clubs or asylums—rather than mundane office roles, to fund their first projects and gain genuine life experience. This provocative guidance aligns with the guerrilla ethos of his self-described film school for rogues.

Herzog will be making a public appearance at the Aspen Institute on July 30, as highlighted by Prazzle Inc, part of a collaborative event with Hans Ulrich Obrist, further cementing his status as a public intellectual in arts and ideas circles. On social media, Herzog’s profile has resurfaced with multiple tributes and references on Instagram; accounts like ahmedsvoice and thelibraryoflazythinking have recently posted about Herzog’s enduring quirkiness and philosophical takes, indicating continued grassroots admiration. In sum, with new films, high honors, audacious career moves, and a steady stream of public and social media engagement, Werner Herzog remains an indomitable force on the world stage, his recent activity signaling vital new chapters rather than any slowing of momentum.

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