The film stunned Cannes because it was so crazy.

TPO - Director Na Hong Jin brings the science fiction blockbuster "Hope" to Cannes 2026. The film is depicted as being full of violence, aliens, and the haunting fear of war engulfing humanity.

The film is inspired by a sense of "premonition" about the world.

Director Na Hong Jin stated that a sense of unease about the world was the inspiration for his science fiction thriller, * Hope*, which is currently competing at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival.

Hope tells the story of the sudden appearance of mysterious entities in a coastal town near the heavily guarded DMZ. The film features a star-studded cast including Hwang Jung Min, Jo In Sung, and Hollywood stars Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander.

"I feel there are many ominous signs and anxieties on the planet where humans live. It feels like war is about to break out, or some terrible form of violence will ruthlessly engulf the whole world," Na Hong Jin said in an interview on May 18th on the sidelines of the film festival, which runs until May 23rd.

"Hope" is Na Hong Jin's first feature film in 10 years since "The Wailing".

The South Korean director said he was happy and honored that Hope is included in the Cannes competition category. Hope will compete for the Palme d'Or alongside 21 other works at Cannes this year.

This is the first South Korean film in four years to be included in the official competition category since Park Chan Wook's Decision to Leave and Hirokazu Kore-eda's Broker – both produced by South Korean companies and featuring a South Korean cast – which competed in 2022.

For Na Hong Jin, Hope is his fourth feature film to be invited to Cannes. His debut film , The Chaser , was screened in the Midnight Screenings category in 2008, followed by The Yellow Sea in the Un Certain Regard category in 2011. The Wailing was also invited to Cannes in the non-competitive category in 2016.

"Hope" stuns Cannes with monsters, aliens, and apocalyptic fears.

This is one of the most anticipated films at Cannes 2026, and that's causing the Korean director so much stress that he's losing sleep.

According to The Korea Times , the film is one of the most expensive in the history of Korean cinema. Throughout its 2 hours and 40 minutes, the film gives the audience no chance to rest.

The film begins with the carcass of a cow covered in mysterious scars, then gradually escalates into a chaotic, audacious, and bloody science fiction story on a cosmic scale.

The film's fast-paced rhythm left audiences at Cannes both astonished, bewildered, and exhilarated. Variety critic Jessica Kiang remarked that the film was "funny, cumbersome, drawn-out, but also boasts some of the most breathtaking action sequences of the year."



Hwang Jung Min plays the police chief in a small village. The investigation into a murdered cow quickly turns into a frantic chase across the demilitarized zone. He then teams up with a female police officer played by Jung Ho Yeon. The police chief's cousin, played by Jo In Sung, follows another series of clues deep in the forest.

The most interesting part of the film is how Hope gets from point A to point B. Interestingly, Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander play aliens.

Determining the true scale of Hope took Na Hong Jin a considerable amount of time. Ultimately, he decided to only bring a portion of the story to the screen. The sequel, set in space and focusing more on Fassbender and Vikander's characters, has already been written. The director excitedly revealed a secret about the ending of the second part, before being quickly stopped by the media team.

Na Hong Jin said he had to rush to complete the editing process in time for the Cannes premiere. The director revealed that he had spent 10 years immersed in the countless possibilities for developing this story.

"I didn't feel like time had passed so quickly. Only now do I realize it's been a very long journey. The editing process took a lot of time. The CGI effects took even longer," he recounted.



For the Korean actors involved in the project, Na Hong Jin was the biggest reason they accepted the role. "When asked why I wanted to act in this drama, my answer was simple: Because it's Na Hong Jin. There's no other reason," Jo In Sung said.

The lengthy and spectacular action sequences occupy a large portion of Hope's running time. Beneath the blockbuster exterior lie deeply rooted social themes, a hallmark of Na Hong Jin's films.

The constant shifts between monster movies and science fiction in Hope reveal the true motivation behind the director's biggest project of his career. According to him, it all began with humanity's struggle to recognize and understand those who are different from themselves.

“Initially, I focused on the fear of strangers and the issue of immigration, but as the story developed, it became much bigger. In any major tragedy, the cause doesn't necessarily stem from malice. It all starts with differences in perspective. I think it's the conflicts of viewpoints and misunderstandings that create the clashes. That's what I wanted to convey,” the director shared.

Source: https://tienphong.vn/bo-phim-khien-cannes-choang-vang-vi-qua-dien-ro-post1844725.tpo