Hope: Is a sequel planned for Na Hong-jin's sci-fi film?

The return of Na Hong-jin after a ten-year hiatus has shaken up audiences with Hope, a feature film that defies genre conventions between supernatural elements and an alien incursion. Featuring a prestigious international cast including Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander, and Taylor Russell, the film keeps viewers guessing until its mind-bending conclusion. So, is a sequel on the way? Here is what we know based on the director's statements.

An open ending and the start of a massive saga

Towards the end of the film, the narrative takes an unexpected shift by adopting the aliens' perspective. When a spaceship emerges from a portal to crash into a mountain and characters J'aur (Alicia Vikander) and Ma'veyyo (Michael Fassbender) set out to find their people's young prince, the film opens up into a much larger canvas. According to Na Hong-jin, the initial plot was simply too long to fit into a single movie, requiring a major script restructuring.

What is the status of a potential sequel?

Asked about the future of this prospective franchise, the filmmaker explained that the movie stands on its own and he considers the work complete. No sequel has been officially greenlit or entered pre-production just yet. However, Na Hong-jin has mentioned that it might take three films in total to tell his original overarching story, and a second installment is globally written. Despite this, the director might pursue a completely different, very dark project before returning to this sci-fi universe.

A massive budget for Korean cinema

With a production budget estimated between 46 and 75 million dollars, Hope stands as the most expensive film in Korean cinema history. Between viewer anticipation, the author's creative impulses, and ongoing talks with investors, the future of the franchise remains open-ended. Fans will simply have to wait and see if these characters return.