Korean director Na Hong-Jin (The Wailing) is teaming up with two of Hollywood’s most intriguing stars, Michael Fassbender (Prometheus, Steve Jobs) and Alicia Vikander (The Danish Girl, Tomb Raider), for his new thriller, Hope. According to Deadline, the mostly Korean-language film follows the residents of Hopo Port, where a mysterious discovery upsets the outskirts of the remote harbor town. Before long, the residents find themselves desperately fighting for survival against something they have never encountered before.
Hope is selecting additional cast members now while the project is in pre-production. Cameras will roll in Korea in late 2023, with Fassbender and Vikander eagerly anticipating the chance to work with Na Hong-Jin. The couple will speak English in the film, despite most of the cast speaking in Korean.
Plus M Entertainment is producing Hope. The Korean producer-distributor recently entered a deal with Na, hoping for a smooth production as they build their relationship. Hong Kyung-pyo (Parasite, Burning), who worked with Na on The Wailing, is the project’s cinematographer.
“Oftentimes, a person’s goodwill can lead to unintended catastrophe simply because of differences in perspective. My hope for this film is to cinematically capture that phenomenon in a way that has yet to be seen,” said Na.
“Director Na’s new project Hope is not only a high-quality film but an enthusiastic project that has the potential to expand its IP to various content distribution channels. Above all, we’ve decided to invest in this project because we have the utmost trust in director Na’s creative vision. Plus M will collaborate and support Hope to make it a global success,” Plus M Entertainment said about financing Na’s next feature.
Na Hong-Jin directed and wrote The Wailing. The film focuses on a stranger who encounters a sickness that starts spreading through the area after arriving in a mysterious village. A police officer, drawn into the darkness, must solve the mystery before his daughter falls prey to the illness. Jun Kunimura, Hwang Jung-min, and Kwak Do-won star in the disturbing drama about survival and sickness.
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