Na Hong-jin's Hope to release in India: Know about Korea's most expensive film

Nearly a decade after The Wailing, South Korean filmmaker Na Hong-jin is returning to the big screen with a film that is considerably bigger in scale. His sci-fi thriller Hope will release in Indian theatres on September 25, bringing together some of South Korea’s biggest stars and a Hollywood cast led by Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander.Hope has been reported to be the most expensive Korean film ever made, with its production budget estimated at more than 50 billion won — roughly 345 crore — making it an unusually ambitious production for Korean cinema. Some reports have put the figure even higher, at more than 70 billion won, or nearly 485 crore.For Indian audiences, the film will arrive in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Korean, making it a wider theatrical release rather than a niche Korean-language offering.What is Hope about?Set in a remote village near South Korea’s Demilitarised Zone, Hope begins with the discovery of a mysterious creature. What initially appears to be an isolated incident soon turns into a fight for survival. Police chief Bum-seok and officer Sung-ae are left to defend a village after reinforcements are diverted to battle wildfires and communication with the outside world is cut off. Meanwhile, locals who head into the mountains to track the creature discover that they have become the hunted. The premise sounds like a straightforward creature thriller, but Na Hong-jin appears to be using the genre as a starting point for something more expansive. The story grows from a local mystery into a tragedy of “cosmic proportions”, with human conflict escalating alongside the threat from the mysterious creature.The Wailing connectionFor fans of Korean horror, Na Hong-jin’s name carries considerable weight. His filmography includes The Chaser (2008), The Yellow Sea (2010) and The Wailing (2016), all of which were selected for Cannes. Hope marks his first feature film as director in 10 years.The filmmaker has also approached Hope differently from The Wailing. While his 2016 film built its horror through atmosphere, mystery and escalating dread, Hope places considerably more emphasis on action and scale.A Korean-Hollywood castThe scale extends to the cast. Hwang Jung-min, one of South Korea’s most acclaimed actors, plays police chief Bum-seok, while Zo In-sung stars as Sung-ki. Hoyeon, who became a global star after Squid Game, plays Sung-ae.On the Hollywood side are Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander, Taylor Russell and Cameron Britton. Fassbender and Vikander play mysterious extraterrestrial characters, adding another layer to the film’s Korean-meets-Hollywood identity.For Hoyeon, Hope also marks an important step from her global television breakthrough into large-scale theatrical cinema. She shares the screen with Korean veterans Hwang Jung-min and Zo In-sung while working with an international cast. From Cannes to a global releaseHope premiered in Competition at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, marking Na Hong-jin’s first film to compete for the Palme d’Or. It was also his fourth consecutive film to be selected for Cannes.The film’s international ambitions extend beyond the festival circuit. Its distribution rights were reportedly sold in more than 200 countries and territories before its domestic release, highlighting the global expectations around the film.Its Korean theatrical run has also given the film considerable momentum. Hope recorded a strong opening in South Korea, with hundreds of thousands of tickets sold around its release and went on to cross the four-million admissions mark.The film was also released in premium formats, including IMAX, Dolby Cinema, ScreenX and 4DX, underlining how heavily its makers have leaned into the theatrical experience.Why Hope matters beyond its monsterAt the heart of Hope is not simply an alien invasion. Na Hong-jin has repeatedly returned to the idea of how fear and misunderstanding can escalate into violence. It is a familiar Na Hong-jin idea in a new form: ordinary people pushed into extraordinary circumstances, with morality becoming increasingly complicated as fear takes over.Na Hong-jin’s Hope releases in India on September 25.- EndsPublished By: shweta keshriPublished On: Sep 2, 2026 14:08 IST