Korean author Na Hong-jin’s sci-fi thriller “Hope” has been sold to Neon ahead of its Cannes Film Festival premiere.
Neon, which has been on sale since November, will be released in theaters.
The acquisition brings Neon to six titles at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. Arthur Harari’s “The Unknown”, Christian Mungiu’s “Fjord”, Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s “All of a Sudden” and Hirokazu Kore-eda’s “Sheep in the Box” will be in competition, while Nicolas Winding Refn’s “Her Private Hell” will be out of competition. “Hope” will premiere in competition.
According to the logline, “Hope” follows a police officer who hears that a tiger has appeared in the hills, causing chaos in the town. But what begins as a local emergency soon spirals into a deeper, more horrifying mystery, forcing the town’s residents to confront the unknown.
The cast includes Korean star Hwang Jung-min (“Narcos”) In addition to Zo In-sung (“Moving”), Ho-young (“Disclaimer”, “The Squid Game”), the cast also includes Michael Fassbender (“The Killer”, “Squid Game”), Alicia Vikander (“The Danish Girl”, “Ex Machina”), and Taylor Russell (“Bones”). All, Waves) and Cameron Britton (The Umbrella Academy, Mindhunter).
When this project was announced last year, director Na said, “I am deeply grateful to the actors who took on these roles and showed their dedication.” “They conveyed everything this film was trying to express with extraordinary talent and focus. I’ve always felt that way, but their collective presence is truly extraordinary.”
It is a sequel to the 2016 box office blockbuster “The Wailing.” He is known for helping redefine Korean genre films with projects such as “The Yellow Sea” and “The Chaser.”
Cannes artistic director Thierry Frémaux teased “Hope” at the annual press conference announcing the festival’s lineup, saying Na’s latest cinematic venture “constantly shifts genres” to capture stories from “parts of history that have never been told before.”
Neon has become a Cannes darling, winning the coveted Palme d’Or for a record sixth consecutive year. Winning titles include “It Was Just an Accident,” “Anora,” “Anatomy of a Fall,” “Triangle of Sadness,” “Titane” and “Parasite.” Two of those films, “Anora” and “Parasite,” won the Oscar for Best Picture.
The deal was negotiated by UTA Independent Film Group on behalf of the filmmakers and Neon’s Vice President of Acquisitions Sarah Colvin on behalf of the studio.
Na is represented by UTA, M3 Global Strategy and Ziffren Brittenham. Vikander is represented by UTA, Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern and Tapestry. Russell is repped by UTA and Richter, Grossman, Nichols, Feldman, Rogal, Sikora & Clark. Fassbender is represented by Conor McCaughan, Range Media Partners, Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern and Tapestry. Hoyoung is repped by CAA, BH Entertainment, Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern (SOWDLLP), and Apex PR. Britton is represented by UTA, Venture Entertainment Partners, Jackoway Austin Tyerman Wertheimer Mandelbaum Morris Bernstein Tratner Auerbach Heinig Jamie Levin Sample & Klein.
