A Major International Expansion
Neon officially launched the South Korean sci-fi thriller Hope in U.S. theaters today, Wednesday, September 9, 2026. According to Collider, the film is opening in approximately 1,500 domestic locations, marking the widest theatrical release for a Korean-language title since the studio’s 2019 success with Parasite.
Directed by Na Hong-jin, known for the horror hit The Wailing, the film follows a community in the village of Hope Harbour near the Korean Demilitarized Zone. Residents initially suspect a tiger is responsible for a series of local attacks, only to discover they are being hunted by alien predators. The film features Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander as leaders of the alien clan.
Commercial and Critical Stakes
The film has already demonstrated significant commercial momentum, having secured $35 million in international pre-sales, making it the highest-grossing overseas pre-sales title for a Korean film to date. With a reported production budget of $46 million, industry analysts are watching to see if the domestic box office performance will push the project into profitability.
Critical reception has been largely positive, with an 82% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Theresa Lacson of Collider highlighted the project as one of the most exciting entries from this year’s Cannes Film Festival. The film’s technical presentation is also a focal point of the release, with early-access screenings on September 7 featuring premium formats including Dolby, 4DX, ScreenX, and IMAX-adjacent technologies like D-BOX.
Looking Toward a Sequel
Despite the film’s complex production, director Na Hong-jin has indicated that he already has a vision for a potential sequel. Whether the story continues will likely depend on the performance of this initial installment. For Michael Fassbender, Hope serves as his first foray into alien-centric sci-fi since Ridley Scott’s Alien: Covenant in 2017, providing a temporary shift in his genre work before he potentially returns to the Alien franchise.