Neon has picked up North American rights to Bong Joon Ho’s debut animated feature film, Ally.
The filmmaker is reuniting with Neon after the release of Parasite in 2019, which grossed over $53m in North America, and won four Oscars, becoming the first film to win both best picture and best international feature film. Bong is the first South Korean filmmaker to win an Oscar.
Ally is on track to be completed in the first half of 2027, with Neon planning a wide theatrical release in North America in the same year.
A curious piglet squid living in the uncharted depths of the South Pacific Ocean dreams of one day seeing the sun and becoming the star of a wildlife documentary. But when a mysterious aircraft sinks into the ocean, her peaceful world is suddenly thrown into danger.
WME negotiated the Neon deal on behalf of the filmmakers. The film marks the sixth collaboration between Neon CEO Tom Quinn and Bong.
In development since 2019, Bong co-wrote the script with Jason Yu, an assistant director on his 2017 film Okja who went on direct Sleep, which was selected for Cannes Critics’ Week in 2023.
Financing and distribution are handled by CJ ENM, Penture Invest, and Pathé, with Barunson C&C overseeing production. Seo Woo-sik serves as producer on the film, marking his third collaboration with Bong, following Mother and Okja.
Pathé will handle distribution in France, Benelux, Switzerland and West Africa, while CJ and Penture will distribute in South Korea, Vietnam, Turkey and Indonesia. Pathé represents international sales excluding Japan, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, for which CJ and Penture are handling sales.
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