Director Na Hong-jin to return with sci-fi mystery 'Hope' next summer

The cast of Na Hong-jin's "Hope" / Courtesy of Plus M Entertainment and Forged Films

Director Na Hong-jin's much-anticipated new film, "Hope," is slated for release next summer, distributor Plus M Entertainment, said Wednesday.

The project marks his first in nearly a decade since the critically acclaimed 2016 horror mystery "The Wailing."

"Hope" will reunite Na with "The Wailing" star Hwang Jung-min, who plays a police officer investigating the sudden appearance of mysterious entities in a small seaside village.

The star-studded Korean cast also includes Zo In-sung and "Squid Game" star Jung Ho-yeon.

Hollywood actors Michael Fassbender of "Shame" (2011) and "Steve Jobs" (2015) and Alicia Vikander, who starred in "The Danish Girl" (2015) and "Tomb Raider" (2018), are set to portray the mysterious beings at the center of the sci-fi thriller.

The director said the ensemble "brought to life every aspect this film aimed to portray with the best talent and focus."