‘Hope’ Achieves Record-Breaking Opening for Neon as an International Film

Avatar photoHrvoje Milakovic
Hope 4
Share:

Na Hong-jin is not a frequent filmmaker, but his works certainly make an impact when they do arrive. The South Korean director, known for ‘The Wailing,’ made a triumphant return to Cannes this year with ‘Hope,’ his first feature in nearly a decade, and the audience response in the Grand Lumière Theatre was overwhelmingly positive.

This enthusiastic reception paved the way for an ambitious U.S. rollout by Neon, the distributor recognized for transforming Cannes buzz into award-season triumphs with films like ‘Parasite’ and ‘Anora.’ Instead of a gradual release like ‘Parasite,’ which started in just three locations, Neon chose to launch ‘Hope’ widely in approximately 1,560 theaters, marking the largest domestic release for a Korean film since ‘Parasite.’ Prior to this wide release, the distributor also hosted premium-format previews across Dolby, 4DX, ScreenX, and other large-screen formats, many of which reportedly sold out in key markets.

This strategy has proven successful. ‘Hope’ garnered an impressive $5 million during its five-day opening window, despite a relatively modest theater count for a wide release, resulting in a remarkable $3,200 average per theater for an international title in a mainstream U.S. rollout. Such performance is notable for a foreign-language film competing against major studio blockbusters.

This opening marks the highest domestic debut for a Korean film and the largest international opening in Neon’s history as a distributor. Given the studio’s reputation for turning festival favorites into box office successes, this milestone is significant, particularly for a film that has achieved the widest release for any Korean-language title in years.

The reception for ‘Hope’ has been notably mixed since its Cannes debut, and this divide has continued into its U.S. release. On the positive side, The Hollywood Reporter’s chief film critic David Rooney hailed the film as a thrilling sci-fi creature feature with instant cult classic potential, praising its ability to engage viewers immediately with exceptional camerawork and fast-paced action.

However, not all critics share this enthusiasm. The film’s ambitious mix of western, horror, and cosmic science fiction elements across a lengthy runtime has received criticism from some reviewers who felt its scope was overreaching and its human characters lacked development compared to its genre-blending spectacle. This divide has resulted in respectable but not unanimous aggregate scores, even as audience reactions have mirrored critical sentiments.

Screenshot 2026 09 14 at 10 07 17 Hope 2026 Rotten Tomatoes

This kind of polarized yet passionate response is often what drives word-of-mouth openings like this one. With ‘Hope’ already having amassed $35 million from its South Korean release, where it became the biggest opening of the year, and now buoyed by strong U.S. per-theater figures, the film appears well-positioned to maintain its momentum in the weeks to come.

For Neon, these results validate a significant gamble on scale. Launching a wide U.S. release for a three-hour, Korean-language genre film is not a typical approach, but the studio’s growing success with international filmmakers seems to be yielding real results at the domestic box office once again. Neon has enjoyed an impressive streak with global directors, having carried seven consecutive Palme d’Or winners out of Cannes and accumulating numerous Oscar nominations over recent award cycles.

This blend of festival acclaim and box office ambition makes ‘Hope’ one of the most intriguing theatrical experiments of the year. A wide domestic release for a subtitled genre film remains a rarity in today’s market, and its initial performance indicates there may be a greater appetite for such ventures than traditional distribution strategies would suggest.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments.

Share: