Neon Acquires North American Rights to Na Hong-Jin's Sci-Fi Thriller 'Hope' for Cannes Competition

Neon has acquired North American and English-language rights to 'Hope,' a sci-fi thriller written and directed by South Korean filmmaker Na Hong-Jin. The film features a cast including Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung, Hoyeon, Alicia Vikander, Michael Fassbender, Taylor Russell, and Cameron Britton.

Production is handled by Forged Films, with Na Hong-Jin, Saemi Kim, and Saerom Kim as producers, Jeongin Hong as executive producer, and Eugene Kim as co-executive producer.

The story is set in Hope Harbor, a remote village near the Demilitarized Zone, where police chief Bum-seok receives reports from local youths about a tiger sighting. The village experiences panic as Bum-seok confronts an unbelievable reality. Plus M Entertainment is financing the project.

The deal was negotiated by UTA Independent Film Group and Sarah Colvin for Neon. Neon pursued the project aggressively following an early footage presentation in November 2024. News of the acquisition leaked on social media and film blogs before confirmation by Variety.

Cannes Festival Lineup 'Hope' represents Neon's fifth film in the Cannes Film Festival's main competition, bringing the company's total entries to six.

' Nicolas Winding Refn’s 'Her Private Hell' is screening out of competition. Neon has distributed the past six Palme d’Or winners at Cannes. The festival berth marks Na Hong-Jin's fourth appearance, following 'The Wailing' in Out of Competition in 2016, 'The Yellow Sea' in Un Certain Regard in 2011, and 'The Chaser' in Out of Competition in 2008.

“We are thrilled to partner with Neon, a distributor that has consistently demonstrated an unparalleled eye for global masterpieces.”

“— Eugene Kim, Head of Content at Plus M Entertainment (Deadline, November 2024)”

Production and Background Na Hong-Jin, known for directing 'The Wailing,' leads the project through his production company Forged Films. The cast includes actors from Korean and international cinema, such as Hwang Jung-min from 'Deliver Us from Evil' and Zo In-sung from 'Moving.' Hoyeon appears following her role in 'Squid Game.' The acquisition positions 'Hope' for a premiere at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Deadline reported the details of the deal and cast, while Variety confirmed the acquisition exclusively.