‘Hope’ First Look: Sci-Fi Thriller From ‘The Wailing’ Director Na Hong-Jin Features Alicia Vikander & Michael Fassbender As Aliens

Korean director Na Hong-jin hasn’t helmed a feature since 2016’s acclaimed thriller “The Wailing” but is returning soon with “Hope,” which boasts a cast that features Oscar-winner Alicia Vikander and Michael Fassbender among the cast.

The folks over at Deadline have posted the first look image and poster from the upcoming sci-fi thriller that also stars actors such as Hwang Jung-min (“The Wailing”), Zo In-sung (“Moving”), Jung Ho-yeon (“Squid Game”), Taylor Russell (“Bones & All”), and Cameron Britton (“Mindhunter”).

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We also have a logline for “Hope,” thanks to the outlet:

Set in the remote village of Hope Harbor, near the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). When a tiger is suspected to have appeared and local police chief Bum-seok is alerted, it throws the community into chaos. What begins as a local emergency soon spirals into a deeper, more terrifying mystery, one that forces the town’s residents to confront the unknown.

Some of their character breakdowns shed more details of the genre pic: “Hwang Jung-min plays Bum-seok, the arrogant yet duty-bound chief of the Hope Harbor police substation. Zo In-sung portrays Sung-ki, a young local who passes his days hunting and fishing. Hoyeon appears as Sung-ae, a tenacious officer who remains steadfast in her duties under any circumstance.”

Meanwhile, the group of international actors, such as Russell, Britton, Vikander, and Fassbender, is said to be in the roles of “aliens.”

Mostly a Korean language film, it is slated for a summer 2026 release, with the international sales for “Hope” being handled by Plus M Entertainment and UTA Independent Film Group representing North America rights. Producers include Na’s own production banner, Forged Films, alongside Plus M.

Both the first look image and teaser poster use the same action shot as the movie was shot on location in Romania’s scenic Retezat National Park, which you can see below.