Director Bong Joon-ho’s debut feature-length animation, “ALLY,” is set to premiere in France on July 14, 2027. The film will also hit theaters in South Korea that same month.
CJ ENM, the distributor, announced on Monday that “ALLY” will be released in South Korea in July, coinciding with its French debut. The film is also slated for a U.S. release.
“ALLY” follows the story of deep-sea fish dwelling in an underwater canyon, curious about the world above. Bong Joon-ho directs, with Barunson C&E overseeing production.
This global project marks Bong’s first foray into feature animation, bringing together top talent from 12 countries including South Korea, France, and the UK. “Sleep” director Yoo Jae-sun co-writes, while the star-studded voice cast features Alex Jayne Go, Emmy winner Ayo Edebiri, Oscar nominee Bradley Cooper, Dave Bautista, Finn Wolfhard, Rachel House, and Oscar-nominated director Werner Herzog.
The production team boasts impressive credentials: Kim Jae-hyung (“Toy Story 4,” “Inside Out”) as animation supervisor, Marcin Jakubowski (“Klaus”) as production designer, and David Lipman (“Shrek” 1 and 2) as producer. Visual effects powerhouse DNEG, known for “Inception” and “Dune,” lends its world-class 3D animation expertise to elevate the film’s visual quality.
“ALLY” will see a global theatrical release through partnerships with regional distributors. In South Korea, CJ ENM and the Venture K-Contents Investment Association will handle investment and distribution, extending to Vietnam, Turkey, and Indonesia.
France’s venerable Pathé Films joins as co-investor and distributor for France, Benelux, Switzerland, and West Africa. U.S. distribution falls to Neon, the company behind Bong’s Palme d’Or and Oscar-winning Parasite, among other acclaimed international films.
Bong, who made history as the first South Korean director to win Cannes’ top prize with Parasite (2019), recently wrapped Mickey 17, starring Robert Pattinson, Naomi Ackie, Steven Yeun, Toni Collette, and Mark Ruffalo. “ALLY” follows as his latest project.
In a recent Variety interview, Bong teased “ALLY,” saying that as a filmmaker, he has always dreamed of creating mind-blowing action sequences. He wanted to surpass the legendary scenes crafted by George Miller and Hayao Miyazaki. This film is his chance to bring that ambition to life.
