Exorcism Chronicles: The Beginning

Source: Locus Animation Studios

‘Exorcism Chronicles: The Beginning ’

South Korea’s Finecut has secured international sales rights to animated feature Exorcism Chronicles: The Beginning and will launch the title at the European Film Market next month.

The film is based on Lee Woo-hyuk’s best-selling fantasy novel Toemarok, which sold nearly 10 million copies following its release in 1994, and will mark the feature directorial debut of Kim Dong-chul.

It is set in a world where superheroes intermingle with the occult and includes an excommunicated priest, a young woman with telekinesis, a man who lost his sister to a malevolent spirit, and a young prodigy skilled in arcane magic.

Billed as “the first adventure” for these characters, the origin story follows Father Park, a doctor-turned priest who must protect a powerful child from his corrupt master within a mysterious, magical temple.

The feature is produced by Locus Animation Studios, a leading Korean animation and VFX firm known for Red Shoes And The Seven Dwarfs, which was released theatrically in over 120 countries worldwide with an English-language voice cast that included Chloe Grace Moretz and Sam Claflin. Finecut also handled sales on that title.

Produced in a cartoon-render style which combines the look of 2D animation with the visual depth of 3D, Exorcism Chronicles: The Beginning is in post-production. The first footage will be shared with buyers by Finecut during EFM, which runs February 15-21.

The sales agent’s EFM slate also includes upcoming drama Victory, action comedy The Desperate Chase and recently announced horror thriller Noise. Finecut is also planning market screenings of A Normal Family by Hur Jin-ho, which premiered at Toronto; and Kim Tae-yang’s Mimang, also shown at Toronto.