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Na Hong-jin and Lee Chang-dong set to return with new films; sequels to Ode to My Father and Tazza also on the way

Lineup of foreign films includes sequels to Avengers, Dune, and The Devil Wears Prada

[Dec. 9, 2025 Yonhap News file photo. Redistribution and database use prohibited.]

After a year filled with concerns about a “crisis in the film industry” and a “crisis of movie theaters,” attention is now turning to whether favorable winds may blow across cinemas next year.

Although audience numbers have declined and the overall size of the industry has shrunk, reducing the number of domestic commercial releases, new films from directors Na Hong-jin and Lee Chang-dong—as well as other highly anticipated titles—are gearing up to draw audiences in the coming year.

According to the five major Korean distributors—CJ ENM, Lotte Entertainment, NEW, Showbox, and Plus M Entertainment—a total of 22 Korean commercial films are scheduled for release next year. This is a sharp drop compared to the pre-COVID period, when around 40 Korean commercial films were released annually.

Even if circumstances no longer allow the release of as many films as before, domestic investors and distributors are designing their slates around high-potential, carefully selected titles. In particular, sequels to mega-hits that drew over 10 million viewers—such as Ode to My Father (2014) and the Tazza series—have confirmed release plans.

The lineup of foreign films is also dazzling, including sequels to proven box-office franchises such as Avengers, Dune, and Spider-Man.

Film critic Yoon Sung-eun noted, “With the exception of My Daughter Is a Zombie, Korean films this year largely fell short of expectations,” adding, “There is concern that next year’s expected audience numbers for Korean films may remain similar to this year.”

However, Yoon also added, “If support measures such as government programs for mid- to low-budget film production lead to an increase in films made next year, it could become a source of vitality for the domestic film industry in the long term.”

[Provided by Plus M Entertainment and Forged Films. Redistribution and database use prohibited.]

Around 20 domestic commercial releases — aiming for 10 million admissions with “sure bets”

Plus M Entertainment has the largest number of Korean releases lined up next year, with seven titles.

Director Na Hong-jin’s next film Hope, his first since The Wailing (2016), is slated for a summer release. Set in a harbor village inside the Demilitarized Zone, the film follows events that unfold when an unknown presence appears. The cast includes Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung, Jung Ho-yeon, and Hollywood actors Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander.

CJ ENM plans to release director Youn Je-kyun’s Ode to My Father 2 and Choi Gook-hee’s Tazza: The Song of Beelzebub.

Ode to My Father 2 tells the story of Seong-min (Lee Sung-min), a father who has lived his whole life for his family, and his son Se-ju (Kang Ha-neul), who led pro-democracy movements in the 1980s—depicting rapid social change, generational conflict, and communication in Korea.

As the sequel to the 2014 hit Ode to My Father, which drew 10 million viewers, attention is focused on whether it can once again surpass that milestone after 11 years.

Tazza: The Song of Beelzebub, which adapts Part 4 of the original comic series, stars Byun Yo-han, Noh Jae-won, and Japanese actress Ayaka Miyoshi. Filming began in September, and while it is slated for release next year, the exact timing has not yet been set.

[Provided by NEW and 외유내강. Redistribution and database use prohibited.]

Lotte Entertainment plans to release director Im Sang-soo’s To the Land of Happiness in the first half of the year. The film follows an escaped prisoner and a patient who come across a large sum of money and embark on a journey together. Choi Min-sik and Park Hae-il star. After multiple delays due to COVID-19, the film will finally reach audiences next year.

Showbox will release the historical drama The Man Who Lives with the King in February, depicting the exiled King Danjong. Directed by Jang Hang-jun, it stars Yoo Hae-jin, Park Ji-hoon, and Yoo Ji-tae.

Director Ryu Seung-wan’s new film HUMINT is NEW’s only scheduled release next year. A spy action film starring Zo In-sung as an NIS black agent and Park Jung-min as a North Korean security officer, it is set for release during the Lunar New Year holidays on February 11.

Director Lee Chang-dong’s new film Possible Love will be released via Netflix. Filming has been completed and it is currently in post-production, with the release date yet to be determined.

Film critic Jung Ji-wook commented, “If commercially promising titles like Na Hong-jin’s Hope and Ryu Seung-wan’s HUMINT perform well early in the year, they could provide momentum to the theater market.” He added, “I also hope that, like Yoon Ga-eun’s The World of Love this year, more independent and arthouse films will spread through word of mouth and find affection from audiences.”

Director Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey

[Provided by Universal Pictures. Redistribution and database use prohibited.]

From Avengers and Dune sequels to Christopher Nolan’s latest — a strong lineup of foreign films

Foreign releases next year feature sequels to major hit franchises such as Avengers and Dune, along with new works from world-renowned directors.

Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Doomsday, featuring Robert Downey Jr. as the villain Doctor Doom and hinting at the return of Chris Evans, is slated for release on December 18.

The fourth installment of the Spider-Man series, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, is also considered highly anticipated. Tom Holland and his fiancée Zendaya return in the leads, with new characters including Sadie Sink of Stranger Things fame.

Disney-Pixar’s flagship animation series Toy Story 5 is scheduled for release in June, while The Devil Wears Prada (2006) will return with a sequel after 20 years, reuniting original stars Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, and Emily Blunt—drawing attention even in early development.

Major directors like Christopher Nolan and Denis Villeneuve are also returning with new films.

Nolan’s Odyssey, adapted from the ancient Greek epic The Odyssey, is set for release on July 15. Matt Damon stars as war hero Odysseus, alongside Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, and Robert Pattinson.

Director Denis Villeneuve will return with Dune: Part 3, the final installment of the trilogy that began in 2021. Timothée Chalamet reprises his role, and the film is slated for release on the same day as Avengers: Doomsday, December 18.

By Jeong Rae-won