Hope (2026): Release Date, Cast, Plot and Everything We Know

Movie	Hope
Director	Na Hong-jin
Writer	Na Hong-jin
Cast	Hwang Jung-min, Jung Ho-yeon, Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander
IMDb (as of May 24)	7.0
Tomatometer | Popcornmeter (as of May 24)	79% | –
Runetime	160 minutes
Distributor	Neon

Notable for gems like The Chaser and The Wailing, South Korean auteur Na Hong-jin marked his return to Cannes this year with the sci-fi action thriller Hope. It also marked his first time competing in the main competition for the Palme d’Or, with his ambitious sci-fi epic scoring generally favourable reactions following its world premiere on May 17.

Shortly after its debut, the movie was picked up by Neon, which previously distributed last year’s No Other Choice in the States. Given the star-studded nature of the film, which also features Michael Fassbender, here’s everything to know about the movie and when you might be able to experience it on the big screen.

Is There a Release Date for Na Hong-jin’s Hope?

What is Hope About?

Set in the remote village of Hope Harbor, the high-concept thriller follows the town’s existential crisis in the wake of attacks from mysterious creatures, prompting the local police chief and a rookie officer to venture deep into the woods to investigate. What begins as a hunt for the mysterious creatures gradually escalates into an epic conflict featuring cosmic-scale revelations.

The synopsis reads:

In the remote South Korea village of Hope Harbor, police chief Bum-seok (Hwang Jung- min) and officer Sung-ae (Hoyeon) are called to find a mysterious creature that has wreaked havoc on the village. In the nearby forest, a coterie of hunters, including Sung- ki (Zo In-Sung) set out to track the beast and find themselves hunted instead. But all is not as it seems, and perceptions can be misleading. What begins as ignorance plants the seed of disaster, escalating through human conflict into a tragedy of cosmic proportions.

It’s easily Hong-jin’s most ambitious project yet, marking a departure from his often grounded, psychologically driven stories, while also standing as one of the most expensive productions in South Korea’s history. The auteur also took inspiration from classics like Jaws and Lethal Weapon, while revealing that he wanted the creatures to evoke a human-like feeling, adding (via Deadline):

There are things that I wanted to do with this film where  although we now live in an era where it’s possible to render these creatures 100 percent with CGI, I wanted to go back  to the way they used to make things when this technology wasn’t available.

The auteur has also entertained the prospect of turning the movie into a full-blown franchise in the near future. Whether his ideas for a sequel are realized remains to be seen.

Who is Starring in Na Hong-jin’s Sci-fi Epic?

The movie stars Hwang Jung-Min in the shoes of police chief Boem Seok, while Jung Ho-yeon, notable for Squid Games, plays the role of the young rookie, Sung-ae. In addition to South Korean actors, the movie also features several major international figures, likes of Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander, who played the aliens through motion capture.

Here’s an overview of the cast:

• Hwang Jung-min as Bum-seok
• Zo In-sung as Sung-ki
• Jung Ho-yeon as Sung-ae
• Michael Fassbender
• Alicia Vikander
• Cameron Britton
• Taylor Russell

Is There a Trailer for Hope?

Shortly after its Cannes premiere, Neon unveiled the teaser for the movie, and it’s not hard to see why this has positioned itself as one of the most ambitious South Korean productions to date.

The shift from the eerie atmosphere surrounding a decimated village to an action-fueled rampage is pretty striking, and it’s safe to say fans expecting a traditional Na Hong-jin movie will likely be caught off guard by just how massive and chaotic the movie.

When Will Hope Premiere on Streaming?

As of now, no concrete details have been unveiled about the movie’s streaming prospects, which is understandable. But considering the movie is being distributed by Neon in the US, expect it to premiere on Hulu once it concludes its theatrical and VOD run.

For the unversed, Neon has a Pay-1 deal with Hulu. However, since the studio earns comparatively less revenue once its movies arrive on the streamer, it takes significantly longer for Neon titles to land on streaming. For instance, it took Anora almost four months to arrive on streaming, whereas Immaculate took closer to five months.

Given Neon’s inconsistent and often lengthy streaming rollout strategy, combined with the possibility of an awards push later in the year, there’s little chance that the sci-fi thriller will arrive on streaming before the first half of 2027. So, your best shot at experiencing Hope this year will likely be either in theaters or through a potential VOD rollout.

Are you excited for the sci-fi epic? Share your thoughts below!

Hope is slated to premiere in theaters this Fall (USA).