Netflix has thrown $50 million into the production of Okja, the latest film from Snowpiercer director Bong Joon-Ho. The film will cover territory familiar to anyone who saw Bong’s “little girls and giant monsters” hit The Host, with the new movie centering on a young woman who must travel from Korea to the U.S. accompanied by a friendly beast.
Besides the massive influx of cash from the streaming service, Bong’s new film has also attracted a healthy amount of on-screen talent. Snowpiercer star Tilda Swinton is already attached to return, while Jake Gyllenhaal, Kelly Macdonald, Paul Dano, and Bill Nighy are all in various stages of discussion to join. (An as-yet-unnamed Korean actress is expected to play the film’s lead.)
Despite a somewhat rocky road to theaters, Snowpiercer roughly doubled its $40 million budget while earning widespread praise, both from critics and aficionados of kickass, train-based hatchet fights. Okja is expected to begin shooting some time early next year.