The Valley (2027 film)
| The Valley | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Bong Joon Ho |
| Written by | Bong Joon Ho |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring | Werner Herzog |
| Cinematography | Hong Kyung-pyo |
| Music by | John Carpenter |
Production companies |
|
Release date |
|
| Country | South Korea |
The Valley (Korean: 더 밸리) is an upcoming animated film written, directed, and produced by Bong Joon Ho (in his animated feature debut). The film was announced in 2018, after his completion of the critically-acclaimed film Parasite,[1] and is said to be an animated drama film involving deep-sea creatures and humans. The film is set to be released in 2027.
Production
Bong Joon Ho's first experience producing animation came when he made a stop-motion animated short film, Looking For Paradise, during his university days with the Yellow Door film club as explored in the documentary film Yellow Door: '90s Lo-fi Film Club.[2] Bong, after having previously made all live-action films, had since expressed a desire to revisit animation, making this project a meaningful return to the medium.[3]
Bong began writing the screenplay in 2018 and completed it in early 2021. Seo Woo-sik, producer of Bong's Mother and Okja, stated Bong sketched storyboards for the animation process in his hotel room. Inspired by Claire Nouvian's novel The Deep: The Extraordinary Creatures of the Abyss, Bong describes the film as exploring the connection between deep-sea creatures and humans.[3]
Werner Herzog will be part of the voice cast in the film.[4] On March 21, 2025, The Chosun Ilbo reported that the film's current title is The Valley and it is scheduled for a 2027 international release.[5] On March 23, 2025, John Carpenter revealed that he was set to compose the film's score.[6]
References
- ^ 전, 형화 (May 13, 2021). 봉준호 감독, '기생충' 이후 韓작품은 CG애니메이션 [종합]. Star News (in Korean). Archived from the original on May 13, 2021. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
- ^ Brzeski, Patrick (October 16, 2023). "Director of Netflix's 'Yellow Door' Doc Talks Bong Joon-ho's Early Days, Evolution of Korean Film". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 27, 2025.
- ^ a b Choi, Jimin (December 9, 2024). "Bong Joon Ho's animated feature is "halfway done" (reports)". Screen Daily. Retrieved February 27, 2025.
- ^ "Werner Herzog Joins Voice Cast for Bong Joon-ho's Animated Feature". Animation Magazine. April 15, 2024. Retrieved February 27, 2025.
- ^ "Bong Joon-ho reveals new film 'Mickey 17' and animated project 'The Valley'". The Chosun Ilbo. March 21, 2025. Retrieved March 21, 2025.
- ^ Squires, Bethy (March 23, 2025). "John Carpenter Says He'll Score Bong Joon Ho's Next Movie". Vulture. Retrieved September 3, 2025.