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- Neon picks up Bong Joon Ho’s animated debut
- Storyline: a curious piglet squid and an oceanic mystery
- Creative team and collaborators behind Ally
- Financing and international sales partnerships
- Neon and Bong’s ongoing partnership
- Territory specifics and negotiation details
- Neon’s Cannes slate and festival strategy
- Production timeline and what to expect next
Bong Joon Ho’s first animated venture, Ally, has found a North American home with Neon, reuniting the Oscar-winning director with the indie distributor that backed Parasite. The film promises a blend of heart and humor, and the deal sets the stage for a theatrical launch slated for 2027.
Neon picks up Bong Joon Ho’s animated debut
Neon announced it has secured North American distribution rights to Ally, marking another collaboration with Bong Joon Ho. This move brings the director back to the team that helped propel Parasite to global acclaim.
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Ally is billed as a family adventure mixing emotional beats with comedic moments. The film has been in development since 2019 and features Bong as director and co-writer.
Storyline: a curious piglet squid and an oceanic mystery
The plot centers on a small, inquisitive piglet squid living in remote South Pacific waters. The creature longs to glimpse the sun and dreams of becoming a documentary star.
When an enigmatic aircraft plunges into the ocean, the squid’s peaceful existence is fractured. The film draws inspiration from unusual real-world marine life and explores how human encounters with deep-sea creatures can reshape both sides.
Creative team and collaborators behind Ally
Bong co-wrote the screenplay with Jason Yu, known for Sleep. Production is overseen by Barunson C&C, while Seo Woo-sik serves as producer. Seo and Bong have previously worked together on Mother and Okja.
- Director: Bong Joon Ho
- Co-writer: Jason Yu
- Producer: Seo Woo-sik
- Production company: Barunson C&C
Financing and international sales partnerships
Funding and distribution will be managed across several partners. CJ ENM, Penture Invest and Pathé are involved in financing and global distribution efforts.
Pathé will handle releases in much of Europe and parts of Africa. CJ and Penture will focus on several Asian and regional markets.
- Pathé: France, Benelux, Switzerland, West Africa
- CJ & Penture: South Korea, Vietnam, Turkey, Indonesia
- International sales: Pathé represents most territories, with CJ and Penture covering key Asian markets
Neon and Bong’s ongoing partnership
This marks the sixth time Bong has worked with Neon CEO Tom Quinn. Their last major collaboration was Parasite, which became the first foreign-language film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.
Parasite also delivered strong box office returns, grossing roughly $53 million in the U.S. and over $250 million worldwide. Bong’s filmography includes Snowpiercer, Memories of Murder, The Host, Okja and the recent sci-fi satire Mickey 17.
Mickey 17 earned about $133 million globally on a large production budget, underscoring Bong’s ongoing commercial and critical relevance.
Territory specifics and negotiation details
The Neon deal was negotiated by Sarah Colvin, Neon’s senior VP of acquisitions, in partnership with WME representing the filmmakers. Sales arrangements carve out key Asian markets such as Japan, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan for separate handling by CJ and Penture.
- Neon: North American rights
- Pathé: Select European and African territories
- CJ & Penture: Major Asian territories and targeted regional markets
Neon’s Cannes slate and festival strategy
As Neon heads to the Cannes Film Festival, the distributor will present a diverse slate. The Cannes lineup includes films in competition and out of competition from prominent international auteurs.
- Na Hong-jin’s sci-fi thriller Hope
- Arthur Harari’s The Unknown
- Cristian Mungiu’s Fjord
- Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s All of a Sudden
- Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Sheep in the Box
- Nicolas Winding Refn’s Her Private Hell (out of competition)
Production timeline and what to expect next
Ally has been under development for several years. With Neon on board for North America, the project is slated for a theatrical roll-out in 2027.
Fans and industry watchers will track casting updates, animation partners, festival premieres and marketing plans as the film moves closer to release.
