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▲ This photo, provided by CJ ENM, shows movie "Alien." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ This photo, provided by Lotte Entertainment, shows the poster of “Hansan: Rise of the Dragon." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ This photo, provided by Showbox, shows a scene from the movie "Emergency Declaration." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, April 19 (Yonhap) -- S. Korea has decided to lift COVID-19 social distancing measures after 2 years and this change is expected to revitalize the theaters.
Blockbusters that postponed their releases are starting to announce release schedules while films submitted to Cannes Film Festival are also to be screened in the cinemas.
Firstly, the “Hansan: Rise of the Dragon,” follow-up of S. Korea’s box office success “The Admiral: Roaring Currents” (2014), is confirmed to hit theaters in July, according to Lotte Entertainment.
“Hansan,” the second movie of director Kim Han-min’s Yi Sun-sin trilogy, finished shooting in September 2020 and was preparing to hit cinemas last summer. However, the movie was delayed due to COVID-19.
The first film of the trilogy, "The Admiral: Roaring Currents," garnered a total of 17.61 million admissions and is still ranking first for having the highest number of views in Korean movie history. “Noryang,” the final entry of the Yi trilogy, also finished filming in June last year.
As “Hansan,” which is considered the most promising film since last year, noticed its release schedule, other tent-pole films will also be screened one after another.
Director Han Jae-rim’s disaster-action film “Emergency Declaration,” which was invited to Canne’s Film Festival last year, will be screened in July~August, according to Showbox.
“Emergency Declaration,” a film starring veteran actors and actresses, including Song Kang-ho, Lee Byung-hun, Jeon Do-yeon, and Im Si-wan, was set to be released last January but was delayed due to the COVID-19 situation.
CJ ENM will also reveal director Choi Dong-hoon’s new film “Alien.”
“Alien,” which was filmed over a year from March 2020 to April 2021, is a sci-fi action fantasy that depicts a time-slip story between swordsmen in the late Goryeo period and aliens living in the present, trying to find a mysterious sword.
The movie boasts a star-studded cast including Ryu Jun-yeol, Kim Woo-bin, Kim Tae-ri, Yeon Jung-ah, Jo Woo-jin, Lee Ha-nui, and Kim Eui-sung. The first part and the second half of the film were shot at the same time, but only the first installment will hit the theaters this summer.
Big Hollywood films will also come out this summer. Marvel’s superhero Thor’s fourth solo movie “Thor: Love and Thunder,” will be released in the coming July. Thor is the first Marvel hero to star in a fourth solo film.
The movie is once again directed by Taika Waititi, who created Thor’s biggest hit “Thor Ragnarok” (2017). Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman will return as Thor and Jane, while Christian Bale will appear for the first time.
Before the summer begins, films that entered the competition section of the 75th Cannes Film Festival, including “Decision to leave” by director Park Chan-wook and "Broker" by Japanese auteur Hirokazu Kore-eda, will hit the cinemas one after another in June.
Both films, which have the potential to win the awards, gained attention with their star cast including Tang Wei, Park Hae-il, Song Kang-ho, Bae Doo-na, Gang Dong-won, and Lee Ji-eun.
The directorial debut film “Hunt,” by the “Squid Game” star Lee Jung-jae, will first be revealed in Cannes Film Festival's out-of-competition "Midnight Screenings,” and arrive in the cinemas this summer.
In May, “The Outlaws 2” starring Ma Dong-seok, and Hollywood blockbusters “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” and “Top Gun: Maverick” will be available in theaters.
“Since the social distancing rules are lifted, various films are preparing for their releases,” said an official from a film distribution company.
(This article is translated from Korean to English by An Hayeon.)
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