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The modern era of Hollywood only has a handful of true movie stars. The definition of the role has changed fundamentally over the years as the studio system morphed and shifted, and as a result, the amount of undeniably bankable stars the studios actually want to invest in has dwindled. But in the small handful that still remains, Florence Pugh shines as one of the brightest and best movie stars we have today.

She is absolutely fearless in front of the camera, and her taste in roles supports her obvious drive to find the most exciting and challenging ways to build her craft. Though her career has been, realistically, quite short so far, Pugh has already established herself as a risk-taker, and because of that, audiences are excited to show up when she makes the choice to lend her skills to a project. Honestly, she's rarely in something that doesn't deserve high praise.

Hollywood may dominate the global box office, but for true cinephiles, the real rite of passage begins with exploring non-English films, which are, by definition, international movies. Stories from countries/regions introduce us to different cultures and broaden our perspectives, offering a new way to see the world.

Movies like Slumdog Millionaire, from Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle, are prime examples of people, culture, and struggles shown from a foreigner’s lens. For the real taste of the world, audiences have to dive into cinema beyond Hollywood. When Bong Joon-ho accepted the Academy Award for Best Director for Parasite, he famously said, “Once you overcome the one-inch tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films.”

From action and romance to slice-of-life genre, including animated ones, this list consists of some of the best non-English films that one must definitely watch before they die. Without further ado,...

After conquering the world with several of its twisty and genre-bending movies like Parasite and The Handmaiden, South Korea is putting the spotlight on another style of storytelling: animation. Now, Netflix is releasing its first-ever Korean original animated film. Lost in Starlight is a futuristic movie that tells the story of star-crossed lovers, and it debuts on the platform on May 30. You can check out the trailer in this article.

Lost In Starlighttakes place in 2050 and follows an astronaut named Nan-young (Kim Tae-ri) and a musician named Jay (Hong Kyung). Nan-young has the mission of going to Mars after her scientist mom didn't make it back during a probe, while Jay spends his day making music and fixing retro sound instruments. The lovers' lives change when Nan-young gets a rare chance to visit the Red Planet as a member of a new probe project. They will have to figure out...

There may be no other working American actor as underrated as Sasha Lane in her generation. The 29-year-old Houston, TX native has been acting in movies and TV shows for nearly a decade now, and in that time, she's had relatively few starring roles. But her eye for projects has been consistently refined, and even her smaller performances have left an indelible mark on anyone who's been following her filmography.

It all began with the premiere of Lane's screen acting debut, "American Honey," in the main competition of the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, where she managed to steal the spotlight even next to such towering, acclaimed performances as Isabelle Huppert in "Elle," Kim Min-hee in "The Handmaiden," Sônia Braga in "Aquarius," Sandra Hüller in "Toni Erdmann," Kristen Stewart in "Personal Shopper," and Ruth Negga in "Loving." Since then, Lane has accrued just under 20 acting credits, with nearly all of those being in deeply interesting projects,...

When Fingersmith was published in 2002, it was lauded as a gripping historical thriller—rich in companionship, rebellion, and escape, yet firmly rooted in genre conventions. But when Park Chan-wook, a filmmaker renowned for making crime and mystery feel visceral, reimagined its Victorian-era tale within the charged backdrop of colonial-era Korea, The Handmaiden became something else entirely. More than just an adaptation, it’s a film that transcends comparison—a lush, intoxicating study of desire, power, and submission breaking past its limits.

Beyond its evocative exploration of colonialism’s grip on the human mind, The Handmaiden (Original title: Ah-ga-ssi) wields eroticism like few films dare—so sharp and unvarnished in its aestheticism that other artistic depictions of desire seem almost timid in comparison. But at its core, this is a smart, subversive tale of two women outgrowing the petty, calculated power plays of a patriarchal world. Through the lens of a...

Widely considered to be not only one of the best crime and gangster movies of all time but one of the greatest pieces of American cinema ever made, Francis Ford Coppolla's adaptation of The Godfatherremains one of the most revered movies in the history of the medium. Nominated for ten Academy Awards and winning three, including one for Best Picture, the film tops many fans' lists as the best movie of all time.

With such a perfect movie in the crime and gangster film subgenre, it is hard for even the best contenders in the same category to measure up. But some gangster films are so good that they come close to being as good as The Godfather, reminding audiences why the tragic stories of organized crime and its affects on the world around it can be one of the most compelling subjects for a movie.

Killers of the Flower Moon...

Sydney Sweeney Oscars Look (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Sydney Sweeney is known for her eccentric fashion sense. Whenever she steps outside, she makes an effort to look her best and use her skills to turn heads towards her. Although we were missing her from the Oscars red carpet, she walked the Vanity Fair after-party looking like the diva that she is.

As she made her way into the event, she walked straight into our hearts with her Barbie-core look. We probably have come a long way since Barbie was released, but whenever Sweeney wears a pink outfit, it somehow turns out to be another Barbie look. Let’s dive deep into her whole lookbook as we decode what she wore at the event.

Hollywood A-listers have arrived at the Vanity Fair Oscars after-party held at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, Calif, and they have arrived in style.

“Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith” is returning to theaters for its 20th anniversary, starting April 25. For the re-release event, graphic artist Matt Ferguson has created a new poster to celebrate the film.

The film will run in U.S. theaters and select international territories for one week, including new formats like 4Dx. “Revenge of the Sith” is the third film in the “Star Wars” prequel franchise and takes place after the Clone Wars begin. Jedi Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) gets pulled to the dark side of the Force to become Darth Vader as Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) and Yoda (Frank Oz) are forced to go into hiding.

The cast also includes Samuel L. Jackson, Natalie Portman, Ian McDiarmid, Christopher Lee, Jimmy Smits, Peter Mayhew, Ahmed Best, Oliver Ford Davies, Temuera Morrison, Anthony Daniels, Silas Carson and Kenny Baker.

Thursday, Feb. 27 ‘The Assessment’ Trailer: Elizabeth Olsen, Himesh Patel and Alicia Vikander...

Valentine’s Day might be about flowers, chocolates, and romance – but in horror, love often leads to obsession, betrayal, and bloody revenge. With slasher thrills, supernatural hauntings, or twisted tales of doomed romance, horror movies set around love and relationships add an extra layer of intensity. Interestingly, horror movies that use romance as a device go right back to the origins of horror cinema, intertwining desire with thrills and kills.

For those who prefer their Valentine’s Day with a side of terror, we’ve rounded up the best horror films to watch on February 14th. These movies prove that sometimes, love doesn’t just break your heart – it rips it out.

The Best Valentine’s Day Horror Movies 1. My Bloody Valentine (1981 & 2009)

Few films embody Valentine’s Day horror better than My Bloody Valentine. This cult classic slasher follows a mining town plagued by a masked killer seeking revenge on Valentine’s Day.

The first-looking image of Park Chan-wook's No Other Choice has been revealed. Park is an award-winning South Korean director behind classic films, such as the original version of Oldboy. Since Oldboy was released in 2003, he has helmed other award-winning movies and TV shows, including The Handmaiden, Decision to Leave, and The Sympathizer. He wrote, directed, and produced his upcoming film No Other Choice. The film is a comedy crime thriller about a man who decides to take extreme measures when grappling with his unemployment situation.

Per Deadline, the first look image of No Other Choice shows stars Lee Byung-hun and Son Ye-jin standing in a yard together, appearing to be dancing. In addition, the No Other Choice update revealed that filming is complete for the film. No release date has been confirmed at this time. Check out the image below:

What This Means For No Other Choice No Other Choice...

Veteran Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook has wrapped production on No Other Choice, which stars Lee Byung-hun (Squid Game) and Son Ye-jin (Crash Landing on You).

The five-month shoot kicked off in August 2024, with Moho Film attached as the production company and Cj Enm as distributor. Above is a first-look image released by Cj.

Based on the 1997 novel “The Ax” by Donald Westlake, the film follows Man Soo (played by Lee), a man who is suddenly fired from a paper company. He is determined to find a new job and deals with those standing in his way.

Park Hee-soon (Moving), Lee Sung-min (The Spy Gone North), Yeom Hye-ran (The Glory), Cha Seung-won (Uprising) and Yoo Yeon-seok (Hospital Playlist) are also part of the cast for No Other Choice.

Park first talked about his plans to adapt Westlake’s novel during the Busan International Film Festival in 2009.

Park won Best Director at...

It’s shaping up to be a major year for South Korean cinema as Hong Sang-soo and Bong Joon Ho get ready for Berlinale premieres of their latest work and later this year we’ll see the premiere of Park Chan-wook’s next feature No Other Choice. With filming kicking off last August and now having just wrapped on January 15 after five months of filming, the first images have now arrived for one of our most-anticipated films of 2025.

Adapting Donald E. Westlake’s 1997 novel The Ax, which Costa-Gavras first adapted in 2005, the black comedy thriller follows a man laid off from the paper company he worked at for 25 years. Some time later and still jobless, he hits on a solution: to genuinely eliminate his competition. Adapted by Park Chan-wook, Lee Kyung-mi, Don McKellar (The Sympathizer), and Lee Ja-hye (Decision to Leave, The Handmaiden), the cast includes Lee Byung-hun, Son Ye-jin,...

Stars: Miriam Yeung Chin-Wah, Bai Ling, Lee Byung-hun, Kyōko Hasegawa | Directed by Fruit Chan, Park Chan-wook, Takashi Miike

In 2002, the horror anthology film Three was released, consisting of three horror tales from East Asian countries. The film received accolades and a sequel, which was released two-years-later in the form of Three… Extremes. The anthology follow-up collected three more horror tales from different directors, and was successful enough in the United States that its predecessor received a stateside release. Strangely enough, Three was repackaged to Western audiences as a sequel entitled Three… Extremes II.

Opening up this anthology is Dumplings, the Hong Kong entry from director Fruit Chan. Arriving at a house is Mrs. Li (Miriam Yeung Chin-Wah), a formerly well-known actress who wishes to get dumplings sold by Mei (Bai Ling). They are considered the most expensive for a good reason, as the dumplings miraculously make the eater look younger.

Hajime Isayama's "Attack on Titan" is one of the most popular anime/manga ever; its cultural impact is like a rumbling heard across the entire world. Well, almost the entire world.

In 2015, "Attack On Titan" was banned in China by the Chinese Ministry of Culture, along with other violent manga such as "Death Note" and "Claymore." The ministry was banning series that "include scenes of violence, pornography, terrorism, and crimes against public morality." "Attack on Titan" absolutely fits that bill.

The series is set in a post-apocalyptic world where most of humanity has been devoured by giants called Titans — resembling naked, ravenous, dead-eyed 20-foot-tall humans. "Attack on Titan" follows a young boy named Eren Yeager as he learns to fight the Titans with his friends. It's a violent series where no character is safe; Titans are disemboweled and humans are devoured in at least every other chapter.

"Attack on Titan...

One never forgets watching a Park Chan-wook film for the first time. One of the most visually vibrant and thematically bracing directors of his era, Park revolutionized the thriller genre for decades, beginning from his breakout film, Joint Security Area, to his 2022 Hitchcockian riff on obsession, Decision to Leave. The consensus in the film world states that Park's most renowned film, Oldboy, is the peak of his abilities, a savage revenge thriller that is equally garish and bone-chilling. However, time will be the kindest to Park's true masterpiece, The Handmaiden, a perfect storm of a thriller that is erotic, twisted, and haunting that should've been a disaster in anyone else's hands, but under Park's calculated direction, the spontaneity of its tonal shifts underline the precariousness of human nature and our perverse desires.

Warner Bros. just found a way to make English-language versions of “Parasite” and “The Handmaiden.”

The Warner Bros. Motion Pictures Group and Korean studio Cj Enm have entered an agreement to co-develop, co-finance, and distribute English-language and Korean-language feature film remakes of each studio’s films. It will start with Warner Bros. as a lead studio on an English-language remake of a Cj Enm film, and then the reverse will happen. Those first two titles to be remade from the studios’ respective libraries have not been announced.

“Miky Lee, Cj Vice Chairwoman, and the team at Cj Enm have built an enviable slate of films over its history to become a powerhouse producer of Korean cinema, with films that resonate with audiences across the globe,” Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group’s Co-Chairs and CEOs Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy said in a statement shared with the press on Tuesday.

Warner Bros. has reached a production deal with Korean studio Cj Enm that will see the two companies partner to make remakes of films from each other’s libraries.

Through this new agreement, initially, Warner Bros. will act as lead studio on an English language remake of a film from Cj Enm’s library, and Cj Enm will act as lead studio on a Korean language remake of a film from the Warner Bros. Pictures library. Cj’s library includes several Korean films that have enjoyed breakthrough global success, including Park Chan-wook’s “The Handmaiden,” Celine Song’s “Past Lives,” and Bong Joon-ho’s Best Picture Oscar winner “Parasite.”

“Miky Lee, Cj Vice Chairwoman, and the team at Cj Enm have built an enviable slate of films over its history to become a powerhouse producer of Korean cinema, with films that resonate with audiences across the globe. We are excited...

Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group has struck a deal with Cj Enm, the backer of Bong Joon Ho’s Oscar-winning “Parasite” and Celine Song’s acclaimed “Past Lives,” to develop, finance and distribute English-language and Korean-language remakes of each studio’s films.

Through the new agreement, Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group will take the lead on English-language remakes of Cj Enm’s library, while Cj Enm will spearhead Korean-language adaptations of Warner Bros. films.

Each studio will be responsible for the development and productive of their respective remakes, though the other company will provide input on creative decisions like the project’s writer, director, producer, cast and budget. Warner Bros. Pictures will serve as distributor globally on all films, with the exception of Cj Enm handling the rollout of its remakes in South Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia and Turkey.

“Miky Lee, Cj vice chairwoman, and the team at Cj Enm have...

Warner Bros. Motion Pictures Group and Cj Enm have signed a new agreement to co-develop, co-finance, and distribute English-language and Korean-language feature film remakes of each studio’s films.

Through this new pact, initially, Warner Bros. Motion Pictures will act as lead studio on an English language film emanating from Cj Enm’s library, and Cj Enm will act as lead studio on a Korean language movie emanating from the Warner Bros. Pictures library.

Warner Bros. Pictures and Cj Enm will be respectively responsible for the development and production of their remakes, with each studio providing input on key creative decisions including each project’s writer, director, producer, and cast as well as shared oversight of a film’s budget.

Warner Bros. Pictures will serve as distributor on the movies worldwide, with the exception of Cj Enm distributing in South Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Turkey on the Cj Enm remake.

Warner Bros. Motion Pictures Group and Cj Enm have unveiled a deal to jointly develop, finance and distribute English-language and Korean-language feature remakes of each studio’s films.

The new agreement will see Warner Bros. become the lead studio on English language remakes originating from Cj Enm’s library, while Miky Lee’s Cj Enm will take the lead on Korean language movies drawn from the extensive Warner Bros. Pictures library.

“Miky Lee, Cj vice chairwoman, and the team at Cj Enm have built an enviable slate of films over its history to become a powerhouse producer of Korean cinema, with films that resonate with audiences across the globe. We are excited to have the opportunity to work with Cj Enm as we look to expand Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group’s movies offerings around the world,” Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group’s co-chairs and CEOs Michael De Luca and...

In a major declaration of intent between two Hollywood and Asian studio powerhouses, Warner Bros Motion Pictures Group and Cj Enm have formed a co-development, co-financing and distribution partnership to exploit remakes of each other’s films.

Warner Bros Motion Pictures will act as lead studio on English-language films emanating from Cj Enm’s library, while Cj Enm will act as lead studio on Korean-language remakes from the Warner Bros vault.

Warner Bros Pictures will serve as global distributor on the films, with the exception of Cj Enm remakes, where the latter will distribute in South Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Turkey.

It’s true that queer representation in cinema has come a long way from what it used to be, and society has evolved enough to make way for important and timely conversations on the LGBTQ+ community. Now, if you take a look at the highest-rated queer movies of all time, you’ll come across titles like Bpm, Moonlight, God’s Own Country, Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Shiva Baby, The Half of It, The Handmaiden, Dog Day Afternoon, Love Lies Bleeding, The Power of the Dog, Carol, and more. Upon closer examination, you’ll realize that a lot of these films are very White or they are centered around stories set in first-world countries because they are either more marketable and more accessible than queer tales from the disenfranchised sections of society. This phenomenon is not only hindering the queer discourse but also preventing the queer cinema of third-world countries from progressing.

They say there are only three certainties in life: death, taxes, and the release of at least one new Hong Sang-soo film each year. In a career marked by extreme prolificness—”By the Stream” is his ninth film to come out this decade, which, need I remind you, is less than halfway through completion—Hong’s directorial approach has equally been marked by its own set of developments coinciding with his personal journey; minor adjustments for anyone just popping in periodically on one of his many features, but for those accustomed to his propensity for self-reflection and jarring zooms, these changes may as well be signs of a whole new artist.

In particular, this new decade seems to have brought with it a more seasoned shade of that contemplative attitude—one that recognizes the internal faults Hong would begin to examine in the previous decade, but with a newfound understanding...

Netflix showcased its Korean film slate for the coming year at an event in Busan, including Lost In Starlight, the first Korean-language animated feature to be produced by the streamer.

Directors from seven films set to release on the platform next year attended the event, held during Busan International Film Festival, to discuss their upcoming projects.

Lost In Starlight will mark the feature debut of director Han Ji-won and follows the long-distance relationship between an astronaut, voiced by Kim Tae-ri of The Handmaiden, and a musician, voiced by Hong Kyung of TV’s Revenant.

Also on the slate is Revelations,...

The opening night of the 29th Busan International Film Festival (Biff) saw a starry audience of more than 4,500 guests in fits of laughter as well as reduced to tears at a ceremony tonight (October 3).

Staged under the illuminated roof of the Busan Cinema Center in South Korea, directors, actors and producers from more than 70 films in Biff’s official selection walked the red carpet, including Thai star Billkin from blockbuster How To Make Millions Before Grandma Dies, India’s Banita Das from Village Rockstars 2 and Filipino director Brillante Mendoza. Squid Game star Lee Jung-jae was also in attendance as well as Portuguese filmmaker Miguel Gomes,...

Acclaimed Korean director Park Chan-wook has his next movie lined up. Per The Hollywood Reporter, the Oldboy director is set to begin production on I Can't Help It, an adaptation of Donald Westlake's novel The Ax, this weekend. Director Park's 12th feature film sees the beloved filmmaker team up with Squid Game star Lee Byung-hun and acclaimed South Korean actress Son Ye-jin. This isn't Lee Byung-hun's first outing with Director Park Lee starred in the filmmaker's feature debut, the acclaimed thriller Joint Security Area.

Published in 1996, Westlake's novel follows Burke Devore, who's laid off from his job at a paper company. After months of unemployment, Devore resorts to murdering the other candidates for a prospective job. The Ax was previously adapted into a French-language film in 2005 by Costa Gavras. The official synopsis reads:

"Burke Devore is a middle-aged manager at a paper company when the cost-cutting ax falls, and he is laid off.

South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook is set to begin shooting his adaptation of US novel The Ax on Saturday (August 17), according to distributor Cj Enm.

The English-language title of the film is No Other Choice (the Korean title directly translates as I Can’t Help It).

It will mark the first feature from the Oldboy director since 2022 noir melodrama Decision To Leave, which premiered in Competition at Cannes where Park won best director and subsequently secured nominations at the Baftas and Golden Globes. He has since made US drama series The Sympathizer starring Robert Downey Jr. for HBO.

The upcoming...

Following up his noir melodrama Decision to Leave, Park Chan-wook ventured into the world of American television with the forthcoming Max series The Sympathizer, adapting Viet Thanh Nguyen’s acclaimed novel and teaming with Robert Downey Jr. As revealed earlier this year, he’s now set to return to South Korea for his next feature and as production begins this week more details have been unveiled.

Set to begin shooting this Saturday, August 17, Park will be adapting Donald E. Westlake’s 1997 novel The Ax, which the legendary Costa-Gavras first adapted in 2005. The black comedy thriller follows a man laid off from the paper company he worked at for 25 years. Some time later and still jobless, he hits on a solution: to genuinely eliminate his competition. Adapted by Park Chan-wook, Lee Kyung-mi, Don McKellar (The Sympathizer), Lee Ja-hye, the cast includes Lee Byung-hun, Son Ye-jin, Park Hee-soon, Lee Sung-min, Yeom Hye-ran,...

Cobra Kai stars Jacob Bertrand and Alicia Hannah-Kim will star in the upcoming Korean drama Tempest. Tempest is a thriller with a talented cast, including Gianna Jun, Gang Dong-won, John Cho, and Christopher Gorham. The show, created by acclaimed writers and directors, follows diplomat Seo Munju and special agent Sanho in a high-stakes race to uncover a dangerous attack.

Two of Cobra Kai's most recognizable stars will reunite for Tempest, an upcoming Korean drama. The final season of Netflix's Emmy-nominated dojo dramedy recently returned with five episodes, as Cobra Kai season 6, part 2, will premiere on November 15. That will be followed by the last part, which will arrive in 2025. In the meantime, two of the most recognizable performers from the popular Karate Kid spinoff show have already booked their next gigs.

Deadline confirms that Tempset, a new K-Drama spy saga, has cast Jacob Bertrand and Alicia Hannah-Kim. The actors are known,...

Edgar Wright’s Last Night in Soho is a kaleidoscopic plunge into the past, drenched in neon hues and haunted by the specters of dreams deferred. The film stars Thomasin McKenzie as Eloise, a young, aspiring fashion designer who leaves the bucolic comfort of Cornwall for the bustling, vibrant chaos of London, only to find herself swept away into the swinging sixties each night. This transportive experience begins as a glamorous escapade but swiftly spirals into a chilling descent, revealing the sinister underbelly of an era often romanticised for its glitz and glamour.

From the outset, Wright establishes his film with a visual bravado that is both mesmerising and unsettling. Eloise’s journey is punctuated by the infectious beats of 60s music, her connection to her late mother palpable in every note. This musical motif is not just a nostalgic flourish but a conduit for Eloise’s temporal voyages, with...

The ReportImage: Amazon

Even if it might be harder to navigate than any of its top-tier streaming peers, Amazon Prime Video still boasts a wide selection of films, including plenty of older movies that places like Netflix simply don’t care to host. That said, its turnover is frequent and subtle.

The last few years have not only brought LGBTQ films and stories further into the mainstream, but queer movies have dominated awards seasons and found commercial success in unlikely places.

Lydia Tár — played by “Carol” star and esteemed lesbian (adjacent?) icon Cate Blanchett — dominated the 2022 Oscars race and became a well-worn touchstone in the year’s critical film and cancel culture conversations. The summer before that, Billy Eichner and Nicholas Stoller made history with Universal Pictures’ “Bros,” among the first ever gay rom-coms funded by a major studio: an important victory — even if that film did go, uh, soft at the box office.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg on another banner year for queer film: at least one win in a hard-fought cultural movement, seemingly poised to face new challenges in the not-so-distant future.

New Queer Cinema was a major influence on the indie film boom of the ’90s,...

Two South Korean superstars Gianna Jun and Gang Dong-won head the cast of “Tempest,” an espionage action drama series being readied by streaming service Disney+ for release next year.

The contemporary Korea-set story sees Jun portray a highly-accomplished diplomat and former ambassador to the U.S. Gang portrays an international man of mystery, a former mercenary and special agent but of unknown nationality. Together, they race to uncover the truth behind a lethal attack that threatens the future stability of the Korean peninsula.

“Tempest” (previously known as “North Star”) is directed by Kim Heewon and co-directed by Korea’s leading martial arts director Heo Myunghaeng (“The Outlaws 4”). The screenplay is by Park Chan-wook’s regular partner Chung Seokyung, who has writing credits including “Decision to Leave,” “The Handmaiden” and “Little Women”.

Jun (real name Jeon Ji-hyun) has credits including “My Sassy Girl,” “My Love From the Star” and “Kingdom: Anshin of the North.

In the past decade, the term prestige television has been given a new meaning, as many of the film industrys most acclaimed directors have begun working on projects with television networks and streaming services. The Sympathizer is a witty and subversive espionage thriller that hails from the acclaimed filmmaker Park Chan-wook; while Park earned notoriety for powerful thrillers such as Oldboy and The Handmaiden, The Sympathizer has managed to reframe the Vietnam War narrative from a different perspective.

Warsaw-based sales agency New Europe Film Sales has teamed up with Spade, the production arm of the French genre label The Jokers, and leading German distribution company Plaion Pictures to create Cherry, a development fund for edgy films with crossover potential.

The partners declined to reveal any figures but emphasised Cherry was a development rather than production fund

The three companies previously worked together on Valdimar Jóhannsson’s folk horror hit Lamb, and will now tighten their collaboration and enter projects at an earlier stage.

Cherry will focus on finding edgy, auteur -driven projects with breakout possibilites. The fund will...

Warning: Spoilers ahead for The Sympathizer episode 2.

The Sympathizer episode 2 introduces new characters and explores the aftermath of the tragic events from episode 1. Professor Hammer, played by Rdj, and Sandra Oh's character Sofia Mori play key roles in The Captain's journey in Los Angeles. The intricately woven plot includes coded messages to Man, suspicions of a spy by The General, and a shocking set-up by The Captain.

The Sympathizer episode 2 titled "Good Little Asian" chronicled the aftermath of episode 1's tragic cliffhanger ending. The Sympathizer's cast is led by recent Academy Award winner Robert Downey Jr. as Claude, an eccentric yet incredibly resourceful CIA operative, who is just one of the four characters that Rdj plays in the series. His second character, Professor Hammer, is an Asian-American Studies professor at a college in Los Angeles who used to teach The Captain (Hoa Xuande). The Captain was one of Professor...

Park Chan-wook to adapt Oldboy into English series, marking first transition of his cinematic hit to television format. Director expresses enthusiasm about project, citing alignment with Lionsgate Television's bold storytelling vision. Park's Vengeance Trilogy includes Oldboy, acclaimed internationally. Recent ventures include The Sympathizer and Uprising.

Park Chan-wook, the critically acclaimed South Korean director, is set to adapt his 2003 cinematic hit Oldboy into an English-language series, collaborating with Lionsgate Television.

Per Deadline, this will be the first time that Park will transition a work that cemented his status in international cinema into a television format. Park has expressed his enthusiasm about the new project, saying:

“Lionsgate Television shares my creative vision for bringing Oldboy into the world of television. I look forward to working with a studio whose brand stands for bold, original and risk-taking storytelling.”

Oldboy (2003) RActionDramaMystery Where to Watch

*Availability in US

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Release DateNovember 21, 2003DirectorPark Chan-wookCastChoi Min-sik,...

Director Park Chan-wook brings his genre-bending expertise to TV with The Sympathizer miniseries on HBO, exploring the complexities of espionage and immigrant experiences. Director Park, alongside his team, made a conscious effort to stay true to the Vietnamese representation in the show by hiring dependable consultants for authenticity and guidance. With Robert Downey Jr. taking on four different roles, filming for The Sympathizer was a unique and challenging process that Director Park found both delightful and exciting.

Park Chan-wook makes his triumphant return to TV with The Sympathizer. The South Korean filmmaker became a worldwide phenomenon with the release of 2003's Oldboy adaptation, the second installment in his unofficial The Vengeance Trilogy that began with Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance and concluded with 2005's Lady Vengeance. He's since gone on to find acclaim with the 2009 horror movie Thirst, producing Bong Joon-ho's breakout hit Snowpiercer, the psychological thrillers The Handmaiden and Stoker,...

Following in the wake of the Spike Lee-directed remake in 2013, Park Chan-wook’s South Korean masterpiece Oldboy (2003) is getting a small screen adaptation, we’ve learned.

Lionsgate Television is partnering with renowned filmmaker Park Chan-wook to develop his acclaimed film Oldboy for television, marking the first English-language series adaptation of the iconic property. This comes as Park’s The Sympathizer just debuted on HBO.

Park Chan-wook, who of course directed and co-wrote the original South Korean film, is attached to produce the upcoming “Oldboy” TV series along with producing partner Syd Lim.

“Lionsgate Television shares my creative vision for bringing Oldboy into the world of television,” said Park. “I look forward to working with a studio whose brand stands for bold, original and risk-taking storytelling.”

“Park is one of the most visionary storytellers of our generation, and we’re excited to partner with him in bringing his cinematic masterpiece to the television screen,...

Lionsgate Television is partnering with renowned Korean filmmaker and television creator Park Chan-wook to develop his acclaimed film Oldboy for television. This marks the first English-language series adaptation of the iconic property.

Park, who directed and co-wrote the original film, is attached to produce the series along with producing partner Syd Lim.

Oldboy has earned numerous accolades, becoming the first South Korean film to win the Grand Prix at Cannes in 2004 and being named to numerous lists of the greatest movies of all time. The movie was re-released by Neon last year for its 20th anniversary, landing in the top ten at the domestic box office in its opening week, a rare feat for a re-release.

Adapted from a Japanese manga of the same name, the film follows a man who is released from prison after 15 years, only to find that he must find his captor in five days. The...

Get ready to witness cinema's most stomach-churning twist all over again: "Oldboy" is coming to television. The 2003 Park Chan-Wook masterpiece (which was based on a manga by Garon Tsuchiya) is going to be remade as an English-language TV show, /Film has learned, and Park will be directly involved in crafting this new version.

Park is partnering with Lionsgate Television to develop a series adaptation of the impressively f***ed-up story and will produce the show along with his frequent collaborator Syd Lim. "Lionsgate Television shares my creative vision for bringing 'Oldboy' into the world of television," Park said in a press release. "I look forward to working with a studio whose brand stands for bold, original, and risk-taking storytelling." Past Lionsgate Television productions range from "Mad Men" to "Party Down" to "Yellowjackets," and given the company's wide-ranging list of past streaming and network partners, it's still too soon...

Park Chan-wook is developing his acclaimed film Oldboy for the first time as an English-language series in partnership with Lionsgate Television. Park, who directed and co-wrote the original film, is set to produce the series alongside producing partner Syd Lim.

The 2003 feature is an adaptation of the Japanese manga of the same name written by Garon Tsuchiya. It follows Oh Dae-su (Choi Min-sik), a man taken off the streets and imprisoned for 15 years who is one day released and given 5 days to find his captor.

Oldboy is the second title in Park’s Vengeance trilogy, following Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002) and preceding Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (2005). It earned multiple accolades including the Grand Prix at Cannes in 2004, a first for a South Korean film. Spike Lee remade the film in 2013 with Josh Brolin portraying the lead character, Joe Doucett.

“Lionsgate Television shares my creative vision for bringing Oldboy into the world of television,...

Korean auteur Park Chan-wook is set to adapt his 2003 masterpiece “Oldboy” as an English-language TV series alongside Lionsgate Television, the studio announced on Wednesday, April 17.

Park, who directed and co-wrote the original action mystery film, is attached to produce the “Oldboy” series adaptation alongside his producing partner Syd Lim.

Park is fresh off “The Sympathizer,” his limited series starring Robert Downey Jr. that just debuted on HBO this past weekend. And while it’s not the first English-language remake of “Oldboy” following Spike Lee’s 2013 film starring Josh Brolin, it will be the first time the film will be adapted for the small screen.

“Lionsgate Television shares my creative vision for bringing ‘Oldboy’ into the world of television,” Park said in a statement. “I look forward to working with a studio whose brand stands for bold, original and risk-taking storytelling.”

“Oldboy” was adapted from a Japanese manga of the same...

Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook is partnering with Lionsgate Television to develop a series version of his 2003 revenge thriller Oldboy.

The project would be an English-language adaptation of the story, which was loosely based on a magna with the same name.

“Lionsgate Television shares my creative vision for bringing Oldboy into the world of television,” said Park. “I look forward to working with a studio whose brand stands for bold, original and risk-taking storytelling.”

In addition to directing The Handmaiden and Decision to Leave, Park previously produced the dystopian thriller Snowpiercer which was likewise adapted into a series. He’s also directing and producing HBO’s new limited series The Sympathizer starring Robert Downey, Jr.

“Park is one of the most visionary storytellers of our generation, and we’re excited to partner with him in bringing his cinematic masterpiece to the television screen,” added Scott Herbst, EVP and Head of Scripted Development,...

Miky Lee, vice chair of Korean media giant Cj, is set to give the USC School of Cinematic Arts 2024 commencement address, organizers said Tuesday.

As a pioneer of the Korean movie wave, Lee has championed Korean directors like Park Chan-wook and Bong Joon Ho, and has executive producer credits that include Lady Vengeance, The Host, Snowpiercer, The Handmaiden and Parasite, the latter of which was the first non-English-language film to win the Oscar for best picture.

She will give the commencement address at the graduation ceremony set for May 10 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.

“Miky Lee is a true pioneer and ambassador of collaborative global filmmaking, and we are so happy to have her share her insight and expertise with our graduating students,” Elizabeth M. Daley, dean of the USC School of Cinematic Arts, said in a statement.

Organizers also announced that the veteran Hollywood director, writer and...

Not long after winning an Oscar for Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, Robert Downey Jr. is starring in perhaps his most challenging project to date: another high-profile one. The Iron Man star, 59, is starring in a new HBO Max series called The Sympathizer, in which, he is playing four antagonist roles combined.

In addition to playing a CIA agent, Downey Jr. portrays a professor, a congressman, and a film director (who was influenced by Francis Ford Coppola). Meanwhile, Hoa Xuande plays The Captain (a Vietnamese spy) in the HBO series, which is based on the critically acclaimed book of a similar title by Viet Thanh Nguyen.

Hoa Xuande and Robert Downey Jr. in The Sympathizer

Behind The Sympathizer is Park Chan-wook, a renowned filmmaker best known for movies like Oldboy, and The Handmaiden. In a recent interview, the South Korean director and former film critic expressed his disappointment and regret at...

Warning: Spoilers ahead for The Sympathizer episode 1.

Robert Downey Jr. stars in The Sympathizer, a historical fiction based on the Vietnam War novel by Viet Thanh Nguyen. The Sympathizer follows The Captain, a communist mole working for North Vietnam during the Fall of Saigon. The series explores espionage, loyalty, and betrayal in the final days of the Vietnam War through a captivating narrative.

The new A24 original series The Sympathizer premiered on HBO and Max on April 14, 2024. The highly anticipated miniseries began with episode 1 "Death Wish" which quickly dives into a retelling of the Vietnam War months before the Fall of Saigon, a historical landmark during that pivotal event. The Sympathizer's cast is led by recent Academy Award winner Robert Downey Jr. as Claude, an eccentric yet incredibly resourceful CIA operative. Set in the 1975, The Sympathizer is a work of historical fiction that is based on the novel of the...

If you felt the instinct to pause, rewind, or repeat part of the premiere to HBO’s “The Sympathizer” on its April 14 premiere, showrunner Park Chan-Wook is one step ahead of you.

The Korean director best known for films like “Oldboy” and “The Handmaiden” and the recent “Decision to Leave” was a critical mind in shaping “The Sympathizer,” based on Viet Thanh Nguyen’s bestseller, which required anticipating how the audience would receive the story. In Episode 1, we meet our unnamed protagonist, The Captain (Hoa Xuande), whose interrogation frames the flashbacks that follow.

The Captain’s confession was one element of adapting Nguyen’s story, Park told IndieWire over Zoom with a translator, but the second piece of that framework was particularly exciting: The Commandant’s (Quinn Hoàng) interruptions.

“Sometimes the commandant might get angry at the captain, or sometimes be criticizing — that is how he engages himself in this storytelling,...

“I am a spy, a sleeper, a spook, a man of two faces.”

So begins Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel “The Sympathizer,” which, when released in 2015, was hailed for its humorous, biting interrogation of American perspectives on the Vietnam War.

Integrating elements of the espionage thriller à lá John le Carré with a heavy sense of irony reminiscent of Ralph Ellison’s “Invisible Man,” “The Sympathizer” is told from the viewpoint of an officer in the U.S.-supported South Vietnam army who secretly reports back to communists in North Vietnam. Framed as a confession to the people for whom he has ostensibly been spying, the narrator — who goes unnamed in the novel — chronicles the story of his journey to Southern California, where he joins the Vietnamese refugee community settling there and grapples with questions of loyalty and assimilation.

In a 2015 interview, Nguyen, who is a professor at the University of Southern California,...

Rights to “I, The Executioner,” which will premiere as a Midnight Screening at the Cannes Film Festival this year, have been picked up by South Korea’s Cj Enm.

The crime-action film directed by Ryu Seung-wan (also written Ryoo Seung-wan) is a sequel to Ryu’s 2015 hit “Veteran” and in Korea goes by the title “Veteran 2.”

Few details of the story have yet been disclosed, but Cj describes the film as “combining Ryu’s trademark action with observations and messages about social change.” Ryu last year enjoyed major box office success with crime comedy “Smugglers.”

Hwang Jung-min, who recently enjoyed box office success in “12.12: The Day,” reprises his role from “Veteran.” He is joined in the sequel by Jung Hae-in (“Tune in for Love”) as a new member of the film’s Violent Crime Investigation Squad.

“I, The Executioner” was produced by Filmmaker R & K, the production shingle owned...