Next year, we’ll witness a unique venture from Oscar-winning director Bong Joon-ho (known for his Best Picture-winning “Parasite”) as he returns to the sci-fi genre with his upcoming film “Mickey 17.” featuring the talented duo Robert Pattinson and Mark Ruffalo. But that’s not all the South Korean filmmaker is cooking up. As recently revealed, Bong Joon-ho has been quietly crafting a new project, this time in the animation realm, exploring the fascinating world of deep-sea life. Meanwhile, Variety has unveiled some intriguing details about this mysterious film, revealing that it will be “hand-drawn,” a departure from the popular 3D format, and that renowned German filmmaker Werner Herzog will lend his distinctive voice to the project.
Herzog may be a director, first and foremost, but he is no stranger to acting roles in front of the camera either. In live-action, he had memorable roles in “The Mandalorian” and “Jack Reacher.” In animation, he has lent his idiosyncratically solemn voice to popular shows like “The Simpsons” and “Rick & Morty.” However, the role and whether the project will have an international voice cast like the casts of “Okja” or “Snowpiercer” is unclear. Maybe he’ll be some animated underwater creature or, hell, a narrator? Time will tell.
Recently, films like Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli’s Oscar-winning animated film “The Boy and the Heron” feature different voice casts for different markets. In the case of “The Boy And The Heron,” there was a Japanese voice cast, and then there was a more Hollywood-famous version featuring names like Robert Pattinson, Christian Bale, and Florence Pugh. With Herzog’s participation already confirmed, it would seem to suggest Bong Joon-Ho and his South Korean producers may try to go a similar route.
The untitled pic is loosely inspired by the visually stunning book “The Deep: The Extraordinary Creatures of The Abyss” by French author Claire Nouvian, and the filmmaker previously predicted the movie could be ready between 2025 and 2026 (we’re still waiting for some clear updates on that front).
Here is the official synopsis of “The Deep,” although we still don’t know what narrative form the film will take.
“Combining the latest scientific discoveries with astonishing color imagery, The Deep takes readers on a voyage into the darkest realms of the ocean. Revealing nature’s oddest and most mesmerizing creatures in crystalline detail, The Deep features more than two hundred color photographs of terrifying sea monsters, living fossils, and ethereal bioluminescent creatures, some photographed here for the very first time. A companying these breathtaking photographs are contributions from some of the world’s most respected researchers that examine the biology of deep-sea organisms, the ecology of deep-sea habitats, and the history of deep-sea exploration.”
Either way, we won’t have to wait too long for Bong Joon-ho’s next film as “Mickey 17” will be released by Warner Bros. on January 31, 2025. Hopefully, more “The Deep Sea” movie details will surface during the promotional tour for “Mickey 17” fully kicks in, and Joon-ho will enlighten us about his plan for his animated movie.