Famous Korean author Bong Joon-ho’s long-awaited foray into 3D animation filmmaking is in focus. The multiple Oscar winner and his producers on Thursday revealed the title, story synopsis, target release date and even a first-look image for the mysterious project, which he has been developing since 2019 but has kept mum about until now.
The film has a title allyand will be completed in the first half of 2027 for a global theatrical release later that year. Bong co-wrote the script with 36-year-old director Jason Yu, a student who directed the well-received Korean horror film. He sleeps from 2023. Bong has collaborated with young screenwriters before, most notably former production assistant Han Jin-won, with whom he co-wrote his history-making 2019 Oscar-winning film, parasite.
Ally’s financing and distribution are managed by CJ ENM, Venture Invest and Pathé, with Barunson C&C overseeing production. The film is produced by Seo Woo-sik, and is his third collaboration with Bong Follow the mom (2009) and Okja (2017).
Bong and his producers also shared a relatively detailed overview of the film’s premise and main character for the first time. The official synopsis reads: “At the heart of the story lies Allie, a curious and lovable little squid living in the uncharted depths of the South Pacific. She dreams of one day seeing the sun and becoming the star of a wildlife documentary. But when a mysterious plane sinks in the ocean, her peaceful world is suddenly put in danger. Together with her colorful and loyal – but unlikely – companions, Allie is thrust into an extraordinary journey that will take her all the way to the surface. Inspired by fascinating real-life sea creatures, the film explores themes of friendship And the gritty, where encounters between humans and creatures of the deep reshape both worlds, set against visually stunning underwater worlds and epic action scenes, a family adventure that blends humor and emotion.
The project marks Bong’s first animated film and one of his most ambitious projects to date. He has spoken of the film as a passion project dating back nearly a decade, inspired in part by Claire Novian’s photo book. The Depth: Extraordinary creatures of the abyss. Bong drew the entire storyboard himself, as is his custom, and described the production process as “very wild and difficult work”, while working on it in hotel rooms between festival jury duties and press tours for Mickey 17. Despite its departure from live-action filmmaking, the new film continues its penchant for adventure, following the serial killer procedural. Memories of murder (2003), Creature Feature Host (2006), a psychological thriller the mom (2009), Dystopian science fiction Snow hole (2013) and its Oscar-winning satire parasite (2019).
The creative team hails from 12 countries and includes animation supervisor Jae Hyung Kim (Toy Story 4, Inside out), Supervising Producer David Liebman ( a partner Franchise) and production designer Marcin Jakubowski (Klaus). DNEG, the powerful visual effects center behind it beginning and Sand dunes,deals with 3D animation.
Pathé will distribute in France, Benelux, Switzerland and West Africa, and will handle international sales excluding Japan, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan – territories which CJ ENM and Penture will manage directly. CJ and Penture will also distribute in South Korea, Vietnam, Turkey and Indonesia. For areas not already captured, ally It will be a hot headline at the upcoming Marché du Film in Cannes.
This announcement marks a significant reveal for a project that has been the subject of intense industry and fan curiosity since reports first emerged that parasite The director was taking risks with animation. Korean industry chatter has indicated that the film’s budget could reach $60 million, making it the most expensive film the country has ever produced.
