Yahoo News Alicia Vikander and Michael Fassbender Set for New Film from ‘The Wailing’ Director
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“Squid Game” star Hoyeon is now set to star in Na Hong-jin’s upcoming film “Hope,” joining Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander. Deadline reported her casting the same day that the film itself was announced.
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The movie will be Hoyeon’s first feature, after she earned an Emmy nomination for her acting debut in Netflix’s 2021 series “Squid Game.” Prior to that series, she was known primarily for her work as a model. Hoyeon will next star in Alfonso Cuarón’s Apple TV+ series “Disclaimer,” and is also attached to Joe Talbot’s film “The Governesses,” which also stars Lily-Rose Depp and Renate Reinsve. She is represented by CAA and Sloane, Offer.
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Seven years after his last film “The Wailing” premiered at Cannes, Na Hong-jin is gearing up for his fourth feature. The South Korean filmmaker has set up his upcoming film, currently under the working title of “Hope,” IndieWire has confirmed.
Although Na’s feature is primarily a Korean production — the film will be produced by the Seoul-based production and distribution company Plus M Entertainment and Na’s banner Forged Films — it features an international cast, and Michael Fassbender (Irish) and Alicia Vikander (Swedish), are attached to lead the film. The two actors have been married since 2017 after they met on the set of “The Light Between Oceans.”
There’s no word on who the couple will be playing, but according to the logline, Na’s film follows the residents of Hopo Port, where a mysterious discovery is made on the outskirts of the remote harbor town. Before long, the residents find themselves in a desperate fight for survival against something they have never encountered before.
“Oftentimes, a person’s goodwill can lead to unintended catastrophe simply because of differences in perspective,” Na said in a statement announcing the project. “My hope for this film is to cinematically capture that phenomenon in a way that has yet to be seen.”
The feature is currently in pre-production and is scheduled to begin filming later this year. Hong Kyung-pyo, the cinematographer behind “Parasite,” will shoot the film, in his second collaboration with Na after “The Wailing.”
Na made his feature debut in 2008 with “The Chaser,” which received critical acclaim and was one of the highest-grossing films in South Korea of its year. His following two films, “The Yellow Sea” and “The Wailing,” both screened at the Cannes Film Festival. Na’s venture into directing an international cast is similar to other South Korean auteurs who have worked with Hollywood stars, such as Bong Joon Ho, who made the leap to English-language filmmaking with “Snowpiercer” and the upcoming “Mickey 17.”
Vikander rose to prominence for her performances in “Ex Machina” and “The Danish Girl,” the latter of which won her an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. Other credits include “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.,” “Tomb Raider,” “The Green Knight,” and last year’s “Irma Vep” HBO limited series. She’ll next star as Katherine Parr in Karim Ainouz’s “Firebrand” opposite Jude Law.
Fassbender first gained attention for his performance in Steve McQueen’s 2008 film “Hunger,” before achieving mainstream recognition as Magneto in the “X-Men” film series. He’s received two Oscar nominations for his work in “12 Years a Slave” and “Steve Jobs,” and also starred in McQueen’s “Shame,” “Inglourious Basterds,” “Jane Eyre,” and the “Alien” film franchise. After a three-year break since 2019, this year will see the actor return to film with Taika Watiti’s “Next Goal Wins” and David Fincher’s “The Killer.” He was also recently attached to star in Nancy Meyer’s upcoming rom-com “Paris Paramount,” but it remains unclear if he’s still involved after Netflix dropped the project.
Na is represented by UTA and Ziffren Brittenham. Vikander is represented by UTA, Tavistock Wood, Tapestry and Fassbender is represented by Conor McCaughan, Range Media Partners, Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern, Tapestry. Hong is represented by WME. Forged Films is represented by UTA. UTA Independent Film Group and Plus M Entertainment will handle North America sales.
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