US studio Neon has confirmed it will directly release Korean filmmaker Na Hong-jin’s sci-fi thriller Hope in UK and Irish cinemas, with a release date of September 25.
Neon has previously acquired UK and Irish rights for films, such as Cannes Competition title Fjord and Hirokazu Koreeda’s Sheep In The Box, which were then acquired by Picturehouse for theatrical release.
This marks the first time Neon has confirmed it will be putting a film directly into UK and Irish cinemas, and follows recent reports that the company is planning to scale up its UK-Ireland distribution operation, with Elysian Film Group CEO Danny Perkins linked to the expansion.
Neon will release Hope in North America on September 9 and acquired the rights to North America and English-speaking territories ahead of Cannes.
The Cannes Competition title follows a police chief in a remote harbour town who leads the charge against otherworldly monsters in a desperate bid for survival. The cast is led by Korean stars Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung and Jung Ho-yeon alongside Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander. Na wrote the screenplay and produces alongside Saemi Kim and Saerom Kim for Forged Films.
Perkins, a former Studiocanal UK CEO, launched a distribution arm under the umbrella of his Elysian Film Group in early 2020 before it entered insolvency earlier this year. He confirmed at the time that Elysian’s production arm – with credits including The Magic Faraway Tree – remains active.
No comments yet