Okja, a forthcoming Korean monster movie from director Bong Joon-ho (Snowpiercer, The Host), has found two new backers, and they’re huge: Brad Pitt’s Plan B Entertainment company and streaming service Netflix.
The film, one of the first features out of Asia to be backed by Netflix, boasts a strong cast, with Jake Gyllenhaal, Tilda Swinton, Paul Dano, and Kelly MacDonald confirmed to appear. Pitt’s Plan B is slated to co-produce, while Netflix will fund and help give Okja a theatrical release sometime before July 2017, according to The Wrap. Production begins in April.
While Okja has been dubbed a monster flick, in a statement Joon-ho explained that it wouldn’t be your typical savage beast. “It is a bulky animal, but with a mild and kind spirit,” he said. “The film is about a warm friendship between a country girl and a brute with stories. To me, the crazy world surrounding Okja and the girl looks more like a monster.”
