NEON Unveils First Look at Hope, Na Hong-jin’s New Sci-Fi Thriller

May 18

NEON has released the official teaser for Hope, giving audiences their first exciting look yet at one of 2026’s most intriguing genre films.

Written and directed by Na Hong-jin, the renowned South Korean filmmaker behind The Wailing, the film brings his taste for dread, moral panic, and unpredictable escalation to a much larger sci-fi thriller canvas. And along with the teaser, it has been confirmed that the film will arrive in theaters in fall 2026, positioning it as one of NEON’s major releases after its Cannes bow.

Hope: Official Premise and Cast

Set in Hope Harbor, a remote South Korean village near the DMZ, the story begins with what sounds like a local emergency: police chief Bum-seok and officer Sung-ae are called in after reports that a tiger has appeared near town. With reinforcements diverted by wildfires and communication cut off, the village is left exposed as locals try to track the beast and soon find themselves hunted.

Hope stars Hwang Jung-min as Bum-seok and Hoyeon as Sung-ae, with Zo In-sung, Taylor Russell, Cameron Britton, Alicia Vikander, and Michael Fassbender also part of the cast. Their exact roles remain mostly under wraps, but the teaser leans into atmosphere over easy answers, selling a film that looks part monster movie, part survival thriller, and part apocalyptic mystery.

The timing also gives Hope an extra layer of buzz. The film premiered in competition at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, marking Na’s long-awaited feature return after The Wailing. For a distributor with a strong recent track record for international and auteur-driven cinema, Hope looks like exactly the kind of bold, unruly theatrical swing that could turn into a major fall talking point.

Make sure to check out the official teaser trailer for NEON’s Hope, included below.