Movies
‘The Host 2’ Gets First Major Investment
We’re officially one step closer to getting the big bad Korean monster back to the big screen as Chungeorahm Film, the company behind the Korean monster hit The Host (Gwoemul, 2006), has announced that Singaporean film company Boku Films will invest 5 million USD for the upcoming sequel, The Host 2 (Gwoemul 2), reports Sci-Fi Japan. Read on for more details
A signing ceremony for the investment was held on July 21 (Korean date) in Puchon, where the 13th Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival is currently transpiring (the festival takes place from July 16 to 26). Chungeorahm Film CEO and THE HOST 2 producer Choi Yong-bae, Boku Film CEO Kelvin Tong and director of the Singapore Film Commission Kenneth Tan attended the signing ceremony. Tan is also in charge of MDA (Media Development Authority), by which Boku Films could invest 50% of the film’s whole production cost. The amount of 5 million USD (approximately 6 billion Korean won) is the largest foreign investment for a Korean film in the history of Korean cinema.
Boku Films is one of the most prolific film companies in Singapore and is known to genre fans with such films as THE MAID (2005) and RULE #1 (Dai yat gaai, 2008), all of which were directed by CEO Kelvin Tong. Most notably, THE MAID broke box office records for a horror film in Singapore when it was first released in 2005.
MDA is a state-run organization in Singapore which was established in 2003. Its function is developing and managing content for the media industry in that country.
According to the press release, THE HOST 2 is currently in the development stage with multiple scripts (including a prequel written by comic book creator Kang Full) featuring a variety of concepts. Previously reported on B-D, we said that the sequel will have to tread carefully to avoid criticizing the Chinese government as the story will concern a calamity caused when people ignore a monster due to their desire for money.
The press release also stated that the South Korean mobile telecommunications provider SK Telecom previously invested to cover expenses for planning and development of THE HOST 2. As of this writing, there is no cast or director announced for the sequel, although it was previously reports that Ning Hao would direct.
Chungeorahm Film first announced plans for THE HOST 2 back in June, 2007 with the intention of releasing the film in 2009-10. Prior to this latest announcement, the last update regarding the movie came from Chungeorahm in January of 2008. There has been no news regarding plans for a separate sequel for THE HOST to be produced in China, but Universal Pictures has revealed that filmmaker Gore Verbinski (THE RING, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN) will produce the American remake of the first film. Universal’s remake was originally announced in late 2006.
A heist turns nightmarish for Lizzy Caplan (Cobweb) in the offbeat comedy thriller Drag, and the SXSW darling now has an official release date.
Briarcliff Entertainment will release Drag in theaters on January 29, 2027.
The thriller follows “two estranged sisters who attempt to rob a secluded home in rural upstate New York. What begins as a simple burglary spirals into a nightmarish ordeal after one sister throws out her back and becomes immobilized on the second floor. As tensions rise and panic sets in, the sisters are forced into a painful and increasingly absurd fight for survival before the homeowner returns.”
It’s described as “Equal parts thriller and physical comedy,” which “explores sibling rivalry, physical pain, and the uniquely chaotic bonds of family.”
Lucy DeVito (“Little Demon”), John Stamos (“Full House”), and Christine Ko (“Dave”) also star.
The release announcement comes with a new look at Drag, introducing the estranged sisters caught in a heist nightmare.
Drag is co-written and co-directed by Raviv Ullman and Greg Yagolnitzer, marking their feature debut.
The film is produced by Danny DeVito, Lucy DeVito, and Jake DeVito through Jersey Films 2nd Avenue.
Briarcliff CEO Tom Ortenberg called Drag “a brilliantly original film that’s suspenseful, hilarious, and completely unpredictable. The cast led by Lizzy, Lucy, John, and Christine are the magic that makes the concept work. Audiences are in for a huge treat.”
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