Director Na Hong-jin's first new film in 10 years, HOPE, will be unveiled on July 6.
Investment and distribution company Plus M Entertainment announced, "We will hold a press and distribution screening for HOPE on July 6."
HOPE begins with people chasing an entity that attacks a rural village, then evolves into a struggle to protect the village, ultimately shifting perspectives and expanding the narrative. It is the long-awaited new project from director Na Hong-jin, known for The Chaser, The Yellow Sea, and The Wailing, and was invited to the competition section of the 79th Cannes Film Festival.
Known as a blockbuster with the largest production budget in the history of Korean cinema, HOPE is undoubtedly the most anticipated Korean film of 2026. This is not solely due to its massive budget. It is a science fiction work that encapsulates the vision of Na Hong-jin, a next-generation master following in the footsteps of Lee Chang-dong, Park Chan-wook, and Bong Joon-ho. The film also draws high expectations for its star-studded cast, including Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung, Jung Ho-yeon, Michael Fassbender, and Alicia Vikander.
However, the film faces unavoidable repercussions following the commencement of rehabilitation procedures for Plus M's parent company, Megabox JoongAng. While the film was produced with a massive budget, it is a reality that the company faces difficulties in pouring additional funds into promotion and marketing.
Fortunately, HOPE is a highly anticipated project that does not necessarily require a massive promotional campaign to capture audience attention. It has already generated buzz through the Cannes Film Festival and has proven its international competitiveness by being pre-sold to 200 countries, which also helped lower its break-even point. As a result, expectations among domestic audiences have reached their peak.
Plus M plans to hold the press screening 10 days before the official release, aiming to leverage word-of-mouth through the press and critics. The strategy is to skip the production briefing and go straight to the press and distribution screening to showcase the true value of the film. The screening will be held at the Dolby Cinema at Megabox COEX in Samseong-dong, known for having the best sound facilities in Korea.
HOPE will be released on July 15.
Reported by Kim Ji-hye | Produced by SBS Entertainment News
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