Korean director Bong Joon-ho, best known for helming sleeper hit Snowpiercer, is quietly assembling a starry ensemble for his upcoming creature feature, Okja.
After plowing through an icy future with Joon-ho’s apocalyptic thriller, Tilda Swinton will reteam with the astute filmmaker, alongside Jake Gyllenhaal, Paul Dano, and Kelly MacDonald. Bill Nighy had been attached, but was forced to pull out following a scheduling clash.
Nevertheless, it’s a casting docket that has made room for one more today, with The Wrap bringing word that Lily Collins has inked a deal to star in Okja as an anarchist called Red, a proud member of an organization known as the Animal Liberation Front.
Pertinent details remain under wraps for Joon-ho’s latest feature, though the director did offer some insight into the adventure he’s rustling up, claiming “it is a bulky animal, but with a mild and kind spirit. The film is about a warm friendship between a country girl and a brute with stories. To me, the crazy world surrounding Okja and the girl looks more like a monster. I want to depict the two characters’ bizarre journey and adventure across the tough world in an original fashion.”
Aiming for a smoother ride this time around compared to the troubled release of Snowpiercer, Joon-ho has already earned the backing of both Netflix and Brad Pitt’s Plan B production banner. Still no word on a production start for Okja, but based on the talent alone – behind and in front of the camera – the creature feature already has our curiosity placed firmly in its two monstrous hands.
