Overview
- Neon announced on Monday that Hope will open in North American theaters on September 9, with a South Korea release planned for this summer.
- The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival to a prolonged standing ovation and sharply divided critical reaction that praised its large‑scale action but questioned its roughly 160‑minute runtime and some effects.
- Producer Plus M pre‑sold Hope to about 200 territories, a record for a Korean title, and said those deals have recouped nearly half of the film’s net production budget before full release.
- Na Hong‑jin wrote and directed the picture as a potential franchise opener, and the cast mixes major Korean stars such as Hwang Jung‑min, Zo In‑sung and Hoyeon with Hollywood names including Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander.
- Producers are completing post‑festival postproduction work to tighten pacing and refine visual effects, and the film’s strong sales could broaden global distribution for big‑budget Korean genre cinema.