Neon will release Na Hong-Jin‘s “Hope” in some 1,500 U.S. theaters starting Sept. 9, marking the widest domestic theatrical footprint for a Korean-language film since the studio’s 2019 Best Picture winner “Parasite.”
The rollout builds on Neon’s recent pattern of securing expansive U.S. launches for Korean and other international-language titles, including “No Other Choice” and “Oldboy,” bringing filmmakers the studio considers among world cinema’s strongest auteurs to wider domestic audiences.
The Variety review described it as “featuring some of the most breathtakingly elegant action moviemaking of this or any year.” “Hope” marks Na Hong-Jin’s return to feature filmmaking after a 10-year hiatus; the director is previously known for “The Wailing” and “The Chaser.”
The story unfolds in Hope Harbor, an isolated coastal town in South Korea, after a mysterious creature begins terrorizing residents. Police and local hunters set out to track the animal down, only to find themselves the ones being hunted, touching off a chain of events with devastating consequences.
“Hope” is produced by Forged Films, with Plus M Entertainment and Westworld coming aboard as co-producers. Plus M Entertainment presents and distributes the film, with Neon handling its North American theatrical release beginning Sept. 9.
