EXCLUSIVE: Magnolia Pictures has snapped up domestic rights to Hunt, the feature directorial from Squid Game Emmy nominated star Lee Jung-jae, which made its world premiere at this year’s Cannes Film Festival in the Midnight section.
Magnolia Pictures plans a December theatrical release.
A stylish espionage action film set in the 1980s, Hunt follows two agents in Korean Central Intelligence who are tasked with hunting a spy within the agency and then learn of a grand plot to assassinate the South Korean president. The pic will also play as a Gala Presentation at TIFF next month.
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Jung-jae also wrote and produced the movie, and stars in it alongside Jung Woo-sung (Steel Rain), Jeon Hye-jin (The Throne), and Squid Game‘s Heo Sung-tae.
“Lee Jung-jae has delivered a wild ride of a film.” said Magnolia President Eamonn Bowles “It’s filled with action sequences of the highest order that are guaranteed to thrill audiences.”
Magnolia EVP Dori Begley and SVP of Acquisitions John Von Thaden were involved in talks for the acquisition from MegaboxJoongang Plus M with CAA Media Finance repping the filmmakers.
Hunt is an Artist Studio and Sanai Pictures production. Han Jae-duk also produces.
Netflix’s Squid Game broke barriers at this year’s Emmys becoming the first non-English show to score 14 Primetime nominations plus Outstanding Drama Series. Jung-jae is also nominated for Lead Actor in a Drama Series.