Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander, Taylor Russell and Cameron Britton are going extraterrestrial in Hope, the new film from The Wailing director Na Hong Jin.
Invited to the competition section of the 79th Cannes Film Festival, Hope casts Korean actors as the residents of Hopo Port and international stars as alien characters, highlighting the divide between humans and outsiders. Fassbender, Vikander, Russell and Britton filmed their roles in Korea using motion capture and facial capture, bringing emotional weight and detailed backstories to their otherworldly characters.
“Alicia and I are both huge fans of director Na Hong Jin,” Fassbender said. “We first discovered him through ‘The Wailing,’ and we were completely blown away by that film. It was amazing, original and fresh, with such a powerful story. Getting the chance to work with him was incredibly exciting for us.”
Fassbender plays Mabayo, a warrior and soldier serving Empress Zor, played by Vikander. Fassbender praised Hope for its fresh approach, saying he admires Na’s view of humanity and the way he portrays “human flaws, good qualities, courage and weakness.” Vikander added, “It was fascinating to fully immerse myself in this world and become a different creature.”
Russell, who won Venice’s Marcello Mastroianni Award for Bones and All, plays Zor’s maidservant Aidobor. “I felt there was something very powerful in this project, and at the same time, it felt very mysterious,” she said. “There is nothing else like this film, so I’m really looking forward to the moment audiences get to see it.”
Britton, known for his chilling turn in Mindhunter, plays Bamigir, a lower-class alien and the first to appear at Hopo Port. “It felt very unique and challenging to play a character whose entire existence is about survival,” he said.
Hope follows Beom Seok, the head of a branch office in Hopo Port near the Demilitarized Zone, after local men tell him a tiger has appeared. As the village is thrown into chaos, he is pulled into an unbelievable reality.
Na, known for his immersive storytelling and striking visuals, returns with a long-awaited film years in the making. Hope hits theaters July 15th.
>> Na Hong Jin’s ‘Hope’ Sets South Korea and North America Release Dates
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Source: Plus M Entertainment
