"Parasite" Director Bong Joon-ho's Animated Debut "Ally" Lands July 2027

Bong Joon-ho, the Oscar-winning director behind "Parasite," has announced a July 2027 release for his first animated feature. The film, titled "Ally," is set to open in France on July 14, 2027, with a South Korean release scheduled for the same month and a U.S. release to follow.

"Ally" follows a group of deep-sea creatures who live in an ocean canyon and are fascinated by the human world above them. At the center is Ally, a baby piglet squid who dreams of seeing the sun and appearing on television, alongside her friends. When an unidentified aircraft crashes into the sea, the group is drawn into an unexpected threat and sets off on a journey toward the surface.

The project is Bong's first full-length animated feature. Artists and crew members from 12 countries, including South Korea, France, and the United Kingdom, worked on the film. Director Jason Yu, best known for the thriller "Sleep," is credited as co-writer.

The voice cast includes Alex Jin Ko, Emmy winner Ayo Edebiri, and Oscar nominee Bradley Cooper, alongside Dave Bautista, Finn Wolfhard, and Rachel House. Oscar-nominated filmmaker Werner Herzog is also among the voice cast.

The production team is equally impressive. Kim Jae-hyung, whose credits include "Toy Story 4" and "Inside Out," serves as animation supervisor. Marcin Jakubowski, the production designer behind the Netflix animated film "Klaus," takes on the same role here. David Lipman, a producer on "Shrek" and "Shrek 2," is also part of the production team. Global visual effects studio DNEG, known for its work on "Inception" and "Dune," has joined as well.

Barunson C&C is leading production on "Ally." In South Korea, financing and distribution are being handled by the Fencer K-Content Investment Fund, operated by CJ ENM and Fencer Invest. The two companies will handle distribution in South Korea, Vietnam, Turkey, and Indonesia.

French film company Pathé Films has joined as co-financier and distributor, covering France, the Benelux region, Switzerland, and West Africa. In the United States, the film will be released by Neon, which also distributed Bong's "Parasite" to North American audiences.

"Ally" will open in South Korea and France in July 2027, with releases in other territories to follow in a staggered global rollout.