SEVEN Cinematographer Boards Netflix-Backed Korean Film
BONG Joon-ho’s next film, the global co-production
Okja, is slowly coming together, and the latest name to be confirmed for the crew is world-famous cinematographer
Darius Khondji, known for his work on David Fincher’s
Seven (1995), WONG Kar-wai’s
My Blueberry Nights (2007), Woody Allen’s
Midnight in Paris (2011) and James Gray’s
The Immigrant (2013). For his last three films, two as director (
Mother, 2009;
Snowpiercer, 2013) and one as producer (
Haemoo, 2014), BONG worked with director of photography
HONG Kyeong-pyo.
To be shot in both Korea and America, Okja will tell the story of a young girl (who is being cast through extensive auditions) and her friendship with a large creature named Okja. The budget is rumored to be in excess of USD 50 million, which would make it the most expensive Korean film ever made.
Okja, which will go into production later this year and premiere at some point in 2017, will feature British and American stars such as Jake Gyllenhaal, Tilda Swinton, Bill Nighy, Paul Dano and Kelly MacDonald. The film will be financed by Hollywood streaming giant Netflix, which began services in Korea last month, while Brad Pitt’s shingle Plan B Entertainment (
12 Years a Slave, 2013) and Korean company
Lewis Pictures (
Haemoo) are on board to produce.