Mysterious creatures abound in the new thriller from The Wailing filmmaker Na Hong-Jin. A film that appears to be both chilling and thrilling, Hope takes us to the town of Hope after wildfires have severed communication and the people are isolated. Then a bloodthirsty creature emerges and the town must be defended. But as teased, there is more to the creatures than meets the eye.
Na Hong-Jin spoke through the assistance of a translator and said to abandon any previous assumptions about the movie based on his universe. The film took 10 years to make because he chose this story “like a handmade work of art.” When asked about visual effects, Na Hong-Jin explained the actors are physical with only the wires removed, but also the creatures are added to the same frame digitally to give a surreal effect. This movie is only about a third of the the story, and they are hoping the audiences love it and they can make a sequel.
Na Hong-Jin hopes audiences see this as a story of mankind. He did not want to address this as space as that would be too big, he wanted to focus on a small isolated area. Discussion on the panel often referred to the creatures as ‘aliens’ and implied a space aspect. Asked about what genre he would put this movie in, he said it is an action-focused movie. Based on clips shown with creepy creatures and high-tension car chases, Hope appears to be very much a horror-action film. Coming September 9, 2026.
Comic-Con Description: “From visionary South Korean filmmaker Na Hong-jin (The Wailing, The Chaser) comes Hope, one of the most talked-about films from this year’s Cannes Film Festival. In the remote village of Hope Harbor, a mysterious creature has wreaked havoc on the community. Police and local hunters set out to track the beast, only to find themselves hunted instead. But not all is as it seems. As panic spreads and reality unravels, the village faces something far beyond imagination. “Pure, unfiltered blockbuster adrenaline” (Justin Chang, The New Yorker), the film is a bold wall-to-wall action spectacle infused with Na Hong-jin’s signature mix of genre-blending suspense and dark humor. Following a special introduction by Korean breakout star Hoyeon (Squid Game), who stars in the film, Na Hong-jin takes part in an in-depth conversation with The Ringer’s Joanna Robinson presents exclusive footage from Hope that has not been shown anywhere else.”
All photo credit to Brian Gray for Horror News Network.
