Per IMDb, “the Vengeance Trilogy is a series of three Korean films: (1) Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002), (2) Oldboy (2003), and (3) Lady Vengeance (2005), directed by South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook. Each movie deals with themes of revenge, violence, and salvation.” ♦ (1) Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002) A viewer may want to have sympathy for the main character Ryu. He is a deaf-mute man who wants to be a kidney donor to save his sister’s life. Besides the fact that he does not have the money to pay for the kidney transplant operation, the doctor also tells him that he is not a compatible donor. That means he needs to find a suitable donor. His desperation makes him turn to the black market to find an
The post A Review of the 3 Korean Films in the Vengeance Trilogy first appeared on popgeeks.com.
The post A Review of the 3 Korean Films in the Vengeance Trilogy first appeared on popgeeks.
The post A Review of the 3 Korean Films in the Vengeance Trilogy first appeared on popgeeks.com.
The post A Review of the 3 Korean Films in the Vengeance Trilogy first appeared on popgeeks.
- 5/1/2024
- by cmoneyspinner
- popgeeks - film
[Warning: The following contains Major spoilers for The Sympathizer Season 1 Episode 3, “Love It or Leave It.”] All four Robert Downey Jr. characters came out to play in the same scene The Sympathizer Episode 3, and director Park Chan-wook tells TV Insider it was a masterclass in acting to film it. Viewers met the first two Downey characters, Claude and Professor Hammer, in The Sympathizer Episodes 1 and 2. Claude works for the CIA and has been training the Captain (Hoa Xuande) as his “protege” (he still hasn’t figured out that the Captain is a double agent with loyalty to the Northern Vietnamese cause). Hammer was the Captain’s professor during his brief stint in America. It’s through Hammer that the Captain meets his new lover, Sofia (Sandra Oh). Downey’s third character was revealed earlier in Episode 3, “Love It or Leave It.” The politician Ned Godwin is nicknamed “Napalm Ned” and is sympathetic to the Southern Vietnamese war efforts.
- 4/29/2024
- TV Insider
Park Chan-wook doesn’t actually know how Robert Downey Jr. responded to his characters in “The Sympathizer.”
The acclaimed Korean director worked with Downey for the first time while adapting Viet Thanh Nguyen’s bestselling novel for HBO, and he expected a big-name star at that level to drag out the negotiation process after getting an offer. To Park’s surprise, Downey circled back quickly, and the two of them started to dig into his character — his characters.
Downey, who also executive produced the series along with wife Susan, plays four characters (so far) in the limited series, each with a unique look and voice and motivations — all of which were built in process. There’s C.I.A. agent Claude, the Orientalist Professor Hammer, filmmaker Niko, and Congressman Ned Godwin, and Downey appears to thoroughly enjoy embodying every single one. In his review of the series, IndieWire’s Ben Travers...
The acclaimed Korean director worked with Downey for the first time while adapting Viet Thanh Nguyen’s bestselling novel for HBO, and he expected a big-name star at that level to drag out the negotiation process after getting an offer. To Park’s surprise, Downey circled back quickly, and the two of them started to dig into his character — his characters.
Downey, who also executive produced the series along with wife Susan, plays four characters (so far) in the limited series, each with a unique look and voice and motivations — all of which were built in process. There’s C.I.A. agent Claude, the Orientalist Professor Hammer, filmmaker Niko, and Congressman Ned Godwin, and Downey appears to thoroughly enjoy embodying every single one. In his review of the series, IndieWire’s Ben Travers...
- 4/29/2024
- by Proma Khosla
- Indiewire
Robert Downey Jr. eyes the Primetime Emmy next after his Oscar win for Best Supporting Actor for Oppenheimer. Downey Jr. plays not one but four roles in the new HBO series, The Sympathizer. While the Dolittle actor surprised fans with his different looks in the trailer of the series, fans were not ready for one scene in the third episode. In this scene, Downey Jr. brought out all four characters in a single sequence, and Sandra Oh hijacked an interview to hear all about it.
Robert Downey Jr. in a still from The Sympathizer
The Iron Man actor’s four characters represent different aspects of the American establishment. These characters include CIA agent Claude, Professor Hammer, auteur filmmaker Niko, and Southern California congressman Ned Godwin.
Robert Downey Jr.’s One Scene In The Sympathizer Was Challenging To Shoot
Robert Downey Jr. and Hoa Xuande in the steakhouse scene in The Sympathizer...
Robert Downey Jr. in a still from The Sympathizer
The Iron Man actor’s four characters represent different aspects of the American establishment. These characters include CIA agent Claude, Professor Hammer, auteur filmmaker Niko, and Southern California congressman Ned Godwin.
Robert Downey Jr.’s One Scene In The Sympathizer Was Challenging To Shoot
Robert Downey Jr. and Hoa Xuande in the steakhouse scene in The Sympathizer...
- 4/29/2024
- by Hashim Asraff
- FandomWire
When “The Sympathizer” showrunner and director Park Chan-Wook brainstormed ideas for HBO’s newest miniseries, one scene struck him as a “quintessential American institution and represented the idea of America.” It took place in a steakhouse with several characters coming together.
Based on the best-selling novel by Viet Thanh Nguyen and set at the end of the Vietnam War, “The Sympathizer” follows a captain, played by Hoa Xuande, in the South Vietnamese army who’s secretly spying for the North Vietnamese communists. As Saigon falls and the U.S. retreats, the Captain remains embedded and escapes to Los Angeles. Throughout, Robert Downey Jr. pops up as various characters who interact with the Captain including Claude, the Captain’s CIA contact, as well as a professor, a congressman and an auteur.
Park toyed with the idea of casting Mark Ruffalo and even Josh Brolin along the way, but in the end,...
Based on the best-selling novel by Viet Thanh Nguyen and set at the end of the Vietnam War, “The Sympathizer” follows a captain, played by Hoa Xuande, in the South Vietnamese army who’s secretly spying for the North Vietnamese communists. As Saigon falls and the U.S. retreats, the Captain remains embedded and escapes to Los Angeles. Throughout, Robert Downey Jr. pops up as various characters who interact with the Captain including Claude, the Captain’s CIA contact, as well as a professor, a congressman and an auteur.
Park toyed with the idea of casting Mark Ruffalo and even Josh Brolin along the way, but in the end,...
- 4/29/2024
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
Must-Watch Premieres on HBO and Max This April April showers bring not only May flowers but also a bouquet of eagerly awaited shows and films to HBO and Max. This month features everything from historical films to groundbreaking series that are sure to captivate audiences. Spotlight on The Sympathizer Mark your calendars for April 14, as ‘The Sympathizer’/, a gritty adaptation of Viet Than Nguyen’s acclaimed novel, makes its debut. Helmed by Park Chan-wook, this seven-episode series traverses dire conditions before the Vietnam War’s culmination. We can’t wait to bring this incredibly compelling story to the screen, and are honored
The post April 2024 Premieres on HBO and Max Featuring New Shows and Movies first appeared on TVovermind.
The post April 2024 Premieres on HBO and Max Featuring New Shows and Movies first appeared on TVovermind.
- 4/27/2024
- by Steve Delikson
- TVovermind.com
Must-Watch Premieres on HBO and Max This April April showers bring not only May flowers but also a bouquet of eagerly awaited shows and films to HBO and Max. This month features everything from historical films to groundbreaking series that are sure to captivate audiences. Spotlight on The Sympathizer Mark your calendars for April 14, as ‘The Sympathizer’/, a gritty adaptation of Viet Than Nguyen’s acclaimed novel, makes its debut. Helmed by Park Chan-wook, this seven-episode series traverses dire conditions before the Vietnam War’s culmination. We can’t wait to bring this incredibly compelling story to the screen, and are honored
The post April 2024 Premieres on HBO and Max Featuring New Shows and Movies first appeared on TVovermind.
The post April 2024 Premieres on HBO and Max Featuring New Shows and Movies first appeared on TVovermind.
- 4/27/2024
- by Steve Delikson
- TVovermind.com
Los Angeles, April 27 (Ians) Hollywood star Nicole Kidman, who is known for ‘Dogville’, ‘Eyes Wide Shut’, ‘Days of Thunder’, ‘The Invasion’, among others, has said that she “craves” the extremes.
The 56-year-old actress has worked across a variety of genres and says she loves pushing herself to try new things, reports ‘Female First UK’.
She told The Hollywood Reporter: “I made ‘Dogville’ after ‘Moulin Rouge’! I went from lavish extremes. I’d come from sequins and trapezes, top hats, hundreds of people singing and dancing. And suddenly I was in Sweden for ‘Dogville’, completely in the dark. But then I went to Spain and made ‘The Others’ with Alejandro Amenebar, who didn’t speak English. I even worked here in Nashville on ‘Stoker’ with director Park Chan-wook, who also doesn’t speak English. I crave those extremes, those emotions. I’ve definitely had an extreme life.”
She revealed that...
The 56-year-old actress has worked across a variety of genres and says she loves pushing herself to try new things, reports ‘Female First UK’.
She told The Hollywood Reporter: “I made ‘Dogville’ after ‘Moulin Rouge’! I went from lavish extremes. I’d come from sequins and trapezes, top hats, hundreds of people singing and dancing. And suddenly I was in Sweden for ‘Dogville’, completely in the dark. But then I went to Spain and made ‘The Others’ with Alejandro Amenebar, who didn’t speak English. I even worked here in Nashville on ‘Stoker’ with director Park Chan-wook, who also doesn’t speak English. I crave those extremes, those emotions. I’ve definitely had an extreme life.”
She revealed that...
- 4/27/2024
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
Nicole Kidman "craves the extremes".The 56-year-old actress has worked across a variety of genres and says she loves pushing herself to try new things.She told The Hollywood Reporter: "I made 'Dogville' after 'Moulin Rouge'! I went from lavish extremes to … I’d come from sequins and trapezes, top hats, hundreds of people singing and dancing. And suddenly I was in Sweden for 'Dogville', completely in the dark. But then I went to Spain and made 'The Others' with Alejandro Amenábar, who didn’t speak English. I even worked here in Nashville on 'Stoker' with director Park Chan-wook, who also doesn’t speak English. I crave those extremes, those emotions. I’ve definitely had an extreme life."And, Nicole revealed that she is always surprised by the reactions her movies elicit from fans.She said: "There are always surprises. I...
- 4/27/2024
- by Colette Fahy 2
- Bang Showbiz
Four decades after her feature debut in 1983’s BMX Bandits, Oscar and two-time Emmy winner Nicole Kidman is set to receive a history-making honor: the AFI Life Achievement Award, which for the first time in 49 years will go to an Australian performer. But the (American-born) Kidman considers herself a part of world cinema, having worked with such renowned filmmakers as Stanley Kubrick (Eyes Wide Shut), Jane Campion (The Portrait of a Lady), Park Chan-wook (Stoker), Sofia Coppola (The Beguiled), Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge!) and Jonathan Glazer (Birth). The actress and producer reflects on how the honor represents both a robust career and a life well traveled.
You’ve received many awards throughout your career. What is so special about this honor?
The list of honorees that have come before me. I’m floored, actually, because there are so few, and there are no Australians. I was overwhelmed by it.
Do...
You’ve received many awards throughout your career. What is so special about this honor?
The list of honorees that have come before me. I’m floored, actually, because there are so few, and there are no Australians. I was overwhelmed by it.
Do...
- 4/26/2024
- by Tyler Coates
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Opening soon in a theater near you are “Run Lola Run,” “Interstellar,” “Hereditary,” “Split,” and “Spirited Away.” They join fellow comeback kids “Oldboy,” “Stop Making Sense,” “Coraline,” “Amelié,” and Pixar’s pandemic-era films making their theatrical returns.
Last year’s strikes can take credit for some of this nostalgia: With distributors forced to delay films, theaters are desperate for product. However, desperation is not the only mother of this invention. A24, Neon, and other specialty distributors are treating re-releases as a way to reach younger audiences.
Last year, Neon re-released Park Chan-wook’s 2003 film “Oldboy” to $2.1 million worldwide. At a CinemaCon panel April 8, Neon distribution president Elissa Federoff credited its success to a young audience eager to see it on a big screen for the first time. “What is old is new for these younger audiences,” she said.
A24 is reaching into its own library to bolster its brand, rereleasing...
Last year’s strikes can take credit for some of this nostalgia: With distributors forced to delay films, theaters are desperate for product. However, desperation is not the only mother of this invention. A24, Neon, and other specialty distributors are treating re-releases as a way to reach younger audiences.
Last year, Neon re-released Park Chan-wook’s 2003 film “Oldboy” to $2.1 million worldwide. At a CinemaCon panel April 8, Neon distribution president Elissa Federoff credited its success to a young audience eager to see it on a big screen for the first time. “What is old is new for these younger audiences,” she said.
A24 is reaching into its own library to bolster its brand, rereleasing...
- 4/25/2024
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
TV is positively cluttered with buzzy book adaptations; 2024 alone has given us “Ripley,” “3 Body Problem,” “Under the Bridge,” “Girls on the Bus,” “Apples Never Fall,” “Palm Royale,” and way too many others to really count. Few of these projects arrive to the screen with as much clout — and as high of expectations — as “The Sympathizer,” HBO’s newest limited series. Not only was Viet Thanh Nguyen’s 2015 novel about the queasy half-existence of a North Vietnamese spy burrowed in the South Vietnamese army extremely popular when it hit book stores in 2015, it was also highly acclaimed, receiving the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. That’s a lot for any show to live up to.
That said, the show certainly has the pedigree behind the cameras to match the original work. The HBO “Sympathizer” limited series comes from Korean auteur Park Chan-wook, who co-created the series with Don McKellar and directs...
That said, the show certainly has the pedigree behind the cameras to match the original work. The HBO “Sympathizer” limited series comes from Korean auteur Park Chan-wook, who co-created the series with Don McKellar and directs...
- 4/22/2024
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
After giving an outstanding performance in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, and grabbing the Academy Awards for the Best Supporting Actor Robert Downey Jr. is all set to work on his new project, The Sympathizer. He is going to portray four different characters in the movie: a director, a congressional representative, a professor, and a CIA operative. This project is going to be one of the most difficult projects that the Iron Man actor has put his hands on.
Robert Downey Jr. as Lewis Strauss in Oppenheimer
However, working with Nolan in the 2023 historical drama film, helped Rdj to go nuts with his idea of character development. Susan Downey, the actor’s wife gave an insight into how the Inception director’s intensive character process helped the actor. It allowed him to work on each character’s looks and physicality, making them look different from each other.
Christopher Nolan’s Strict...
Robert Downey Jr. as Lewis Strauss in Oppenheimer
However, working with Nolan in the 2023 historical drama film, helped Rdj to go nuts with his idea of character development. Susan Downey, the actor’s wife gave an insight into how the Inception director’s intensive character process helped the actor. It allowed him to work on each character’s looks and physicality, making them look different from each other.
Christopher Nolan’s Strict...
- 4/22/2024
- by Tushar Auddy
- FandomWire
Warning: This article contains a massive spoiler for "Abigail."
Taste is obviously subjective, but for my money, "Abigail" is one of the best horror movies of 2024. It's been a few years since we've had a truly great vampire movie, and this part-crime thriller, part-comedy, part-gothic horror, part-gorefest has set the bar for vampire films in the 2020s. A group of criminals — Melissa Barrera as Joey, Dan Stevens as Frank, Kathryn Newton as Sammy, William Catlett as Rickles, Kevin Durand as Peter, and Angus Cloud as Dean — are tasked with kidnapping Abigail (Alisha Weir) and holding her for ransom, believing her rich father will happily trade funds for the safekeeping of his baby girl. Unfortunately for the group, Abigail is a vampire, and this kidnapping plot is a trap to allow her some fun before devouring them all in a gigantic feast.
Throughout "Abigail," the kidnappers and the titular vamp herself often reference her wealthy,...
Taste is obviously subjective, but for my money, "Abigail" is one of the best horror movies of 2024. It's been a few years since we've had a truly great vampire movie, and this part-crime thriller, part-comedy, part-gothic horror, part-gorefest has set the bar for vampire films in the 2020s. A group of criminals — Melissa Barrera as Joey, Dan Stevens as Frank, Kathryn Newton as Sammy, William Catlett as Rickles, Kevin Durand as Peter, and Angus Cloud as Dean — are tasked with kidnapping Abigail (Alisha Weir) and holding her for ransom, believing her rich father will happily trade funds for the safekeeping of his baby girl. Unfortunately for the group, Abigail is a vampire, and this kidnapping plot is a trap to allow her some fun before devouring them all in a gigantic feast.
Throughout "Abigail," the kidnappers and the titular vamp herself often reference her wealthy,...
- 4/19/2024
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
The Sympathizer is a historical black comedy series with elements of war, spy, politics, and mystery. Based on a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction winning 2015 best-selling novel of the same name by Vietnamese-American professor Viet Thanh Nguyen, the HBO series is co-written and directed by Park Chan-wook.
The HBO series is set near the end of the Vietnam war and it follows the story of a spy embedded in the South Vietnam army as he flees to the United States to gather intelligence for the Viet Cong. The Sympathizer is simply a thrilling experience with some great comedy and layered characters that will have you glued to your screen.
The Sympathizer – Episode Guide (When Will the New Episodes Arrive?) Credit – HBO
The Sympathizer consists of seven episodes in total. The historical dark comedy series premiered on HBO with its first episode on April 14, with the rest of the episodes coming out weekly every Sunday.
The HBO series is set near the end of the Vietnam war and it follows the story of a spy embedded in the South Vietnam army as he flees to the United States to gather intelligence for the Viet Cong. The Sympathizer is simply a thrilling experience with some great comedy and layered characters that will have you glued to your screen.
The Sympathizer – Episode Guide (When Will the New Episodes Arrive?) Credit – HBO
The Sympathizer consists of seven episodes in total. The historical dark comedy series premiered on HBO with its first episode on April 14, with the rest of the episodes coming out weekly every Sunday.
- 4/19/2024
- by Kulwant Singh
- Cinema Blind
The lineup for the 77th Cannes Film Festival has officially been unveiled. As of right now, 19 films will be competing for the prestigious top prize, the Palme d’Or. The festival will be running from May 14 through the closing ceremony on May 25 in the small town on the French Riviera. This year’s jury will be led by Greta Gerwig, fresh off of her success writing and directing “Barbie,” which earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. The remaining members of the jury have yet to be announced.
Having an idea of a filmmaker’s history at the festival can sometimes help give us an insight as to who could be in the best position to take home the Palme. For example, two of this year’s entries come from filmmakers who have previously claimed the Palme. Another five are from directors who have won prizes in official...
Having an idea of a filmmaker’s history at the festival can sometimes help give us an insight as to who could be in the best position to take home the Palme. For example, two of this year’s entries come from filmmakers who have previously claimed the Palme. Another five are from directors who have won prizes in official...
- 4/18/2024
- by Charles Bright
- Gold Derby
Loosely adapted from the Japanese manga of the same name, Park Chan-wook’s 2003 movie Oldboy turned into a cult classic right after its release. Narrating the tale of Oh Dae-su, who becomes obsessed with vengeance on his captors after being imprisoned for 15 years, the movie garnered critical success and positive reviews.
Acclaimed filmmaker Park Chan-wook | image: Wikimedia Commons
Later on, following in Park Chan-wook’s footsteps, Spike Lee came up with a 2013 remake, starring Josh Brolin and Elizabeth Olsen. Unfortunately, Lee’s film turned into an atrocious remake, which deeply saddened fans of the original film.
However, decades later there appears hope for Chan-wook to redeem his Oldboy remake, as the director prepares for an English-language Oldboy TV series remake.
Spike Lee’s Atrocious Remake of Oldboy Starring Josh Brolin
Following the grand success of Park Chan-wook’s original 2003 thriller Oldboy, Spike Lee tried his hands on the remake of the Korean film,...
Acclaimed filmmaker Park Chan-wook | image: Wikimedia Commons
Later on, following in Park Chan-wook’s footsteps, Spike Lee came up with a 2013 remake, starring Josh Brolin and Elizabeth Olsen. Unfortunately, Lee’s film turned into an atrocious remake, which deeply saddened fans of the original film.
However, decades later there appears hope for Chan-wook to redeem his Oldboy remake, as the director prepares for an English-language Oldboy TV series remake.
Spike Lee’s Atrocious Remake of Oldboy Starring Josh Brolin
Following the grand success of Park Chan-wook’s original 2003 thriller Oldboy, Spike Lee tried his hands on the remake of the Korean film,...
- 4/18/2024
- by Krittika Mukherjee
- FandomWire
Writer and director Park Chan-Wook is adapting his acclaimed 2003 South Korean film Oldboy into an English language television series.
Eminent director Park Chan-Wook is adapting his classic thriller Oldboy into an English language television series for Lionsgate. He will produce the series alongside his producing partner Syd Lim.
Chan-Wook said, in a statement published by Deadline, “Lionsgate Television shares my creative vision for bringing Oldboy into the world of television. I look forward to working with a studio whose brand stands for bold, original and risk-taking storytelling”.
Head of Scripted Development Scott Herbst said, “Park is one of the most visionary storytellers of our generation, and we’re excited to partner with him in bringing his cinematic masterpiece to the television screen. This series adaptation of Oldboy will feature the raw emotional power, iconic fight scenes and visceral style that made the film a classic”.
Indeed, there are few action...
Eminent director Park Chan-Wook is adapting his classic thriller Oldboy into an English language television series for Lionsgate. He will produce the series alongside his producing partner Syd Lim.
Chan-Wook said, in a statement published by Deadline, “Lionsgate Television shares my creative vision for bringing Oldboy into the world of television. I look forward to working with a studio whose brand stands for bold, original and risk-taking storytelling”.
Head of Scripted Development Scott Herbst said, “Park is one of the most visionary storytellers of our generation, and we’re excited to partner with him in bringing his cinematic masterpiece to the television screen. This series adaptation of Oldboy will feature the raw emotional power, iconic fight scenes and visceral style that made the film a classic”.
Indeed, there are few action...
- 4/18/2024
- by Jake Godfrey
- Film Stories
Gkids has acquires North American rights to Mamoru Oshii’s Ghost In The Shell 2: Innocence and will release a new 4K restoration this summer.
First released in 2004, Oshii’s cyberpunk mystery centred on the character Batou from his 1995 classic Ghost In The Shell and is imagined as a stand-alone return to the world established in the original.
It is now the year 2032 and the line between humans and machines has become blurred as cyber-bodied agent Batou and his human partner Togusa investigate a string of murders committed by a prototype android model.
Prior to the film’s nationwide release,...
First released in 2004, Oshii’s cyberpunk mystery centred on the character Batou from his 1995 classic Ghost In The Shell and is imagined as a stand-alone return to the world established in the original.
It is now the year 2032 and the line between humans and machines has become blurred as cyber-bodied agent Batou and his human partner Togusa investigate a string of murders committed by a prototype android model.
Prior to the film’s nationwide release,...
- 4/17/2024
- ScreenDaily
Following his first foray into television with 2018’s “The Little Drummer Girl,” Korean filmmaker Park Chan-Wook returns to Western television this month with the espionage thriller series “The Sympathizer” on HBO (read our review). And the director is already quickly putting together another project for the small screen, a series adaptation of his 2003 revenge masterpiece “Oldboy.” Variety reports that Chan-Wook is partnering with Lionsgate Television on the adaptation of the English-language series based on his film of the same name.
Continue reading ‘Oldboy’: Park Chan-Wook & Lionsgate TV Team For English-Language Series Remake Of Genre Classic at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘Oldboy’: Park Chan-Wook & Lionsgate TV Team For English-Language Series Remake Of Genre Classic at The Playlist.
- 4/17/2024
- by Christopher Marc
- The Playlist
Following in the wake of the Spike Lee-directed remake in 2013, Park Chan-wook’s South Korean masterpiece Oldboy (2003) is getting a small screen adaptation, we’ve learned.
Lionsgate Television is partnering with renowned filmmaker Park Chan-wook to develop his acclaimed film Oldboy for television, marking the first English-language series adaptation of the iconic property. This comes as Park’s The Sympathizer just debuted on HBO.
Park Chan-wook, who of course directed and co-wrote the original South Korean film, is attached to produce the upcoming “Oldboy” TV series along with producing partner Syd Lim.
“Lionsgate Television shares my creative vision for bringing Oldboy into the world of television,” said Park. “I look forward to working with a studio whose brand stands for bold, original and risk-taking storytelling.”
“Park is one of the most visionary storytellers of our generation, and we’re excited to partner with him in bringing his cinematic masterpiece to the television screen,...
Lionsgate Television is partnering with renowned filmmaker Park Chan-wook to develop his acclaimed film Oldboy for television, marking the first English-language series adaptation of the iconic property. This comes as Park’s The Sympathizer just debuted on HBO.
Park Chan-wook, who of course directed and co-wrote the original South Korean film, is attached to produce the upcoming “Oldboy” TV series along with producing partner Syd Lim.
“Lionsgate Television shares my creative vision for bringing Oldboy into the world of television,” said Park. “I look forward to working with a studio whose brand stands for bold, original and risk-taking storytelling.”
“Park is one of the most visionary storytellers of our generation, and we’re excited to partner with him in bringing his cinematic masterpiece to the television screen,...
- 4/17/2024
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Lionsgate Television is partnering with renowned Korean filmmaker and television creator Park Chan-wook to develop his acclaimed film Oldboy for television. This marks the first English-language series adaptation of the iconic property.
Park, who directed and co-wrote the original film, is attached to produce the series along with producing partner Syd Lim.
Oldboy has earned numerous accolades, becoming the first South Korean film to win the Grand Prix at Cannes in 2004 and being named to numerous lists of the greatest movies of all time. The movie was re-released by Neon last year for its 20th anniversary, landing in the top ten at the domestic box office in its opening week, a rare feat for a re-release.
Adapted from a Japanese manga of the same name, the film follows a man who is released from prison after 15 years, only to find that he must find his captor in five days. The...
Park, who directed and co-wrote the original film, is attached to produce the series along with producing partner Syd Lim.
Oldboy has earned numerous accolades, becoming the first South Korean film to win the Grand Prix at Cannes in 2004 and being named to numerous lists of the greatest movies of all time. The movie was re-released by Neon last year for its 20th anniversary, landing in the top ten at the domestic box office in its opening week, a rare feat for a re-release.
Adapted from a Japanese manga of the same name, the film follows a man who is released from prison after 15 years, only to find that he must find his captor in five days. The...
- 4/17/2024
- by Mirko Parlevliet
- Vital Thrills
Lionsgate Television is teaming with Park Chan-wook to develop an English-language TV adaptation of Park’s iconic film “Oldboy.”
Park directed and co-wrote the original film, which was itself loosely based on the Japanese manga of the same name. He will produce the new series version along with his producing partner, Syd Lim. Executives Courtney Mock and Tara Joshi are overseeing the project for Lionsgate Television. Bryan Weiser negotiated the deal.
“Lionsgate Television shares my creative vision for bringing ‘Oldboy’ into the world of television,” said Park. “I look forward to working with a studio whose brand stands for bold, original and risk-taking storytelling.”
Originally released in 2003, “Oldboy” tells the story of a man who is kidnapped and held prisoner in a sealed hotel room for 15 years. He is suddenly released with no explanation, only to learn he has five days to discover why he was imprisoned or face the consequences.
Park directed and co-wrote the original film, which was itself loosely based on the Japanese manga of the same name. He will produce the new series version along with his producing partner, Syd Lim. Executives Courtney Mock and Tara Joshi are overseeing the project for Lionsgate Television. Bryan Weiser negotiated the deal.
“Lionsgate Television shares my creative vision for bringing ‘Oldboy’ into the world of television,” said Park. “I look forward to working with a studio whose brand stands for bold, original and risk-taking storytelling.”
Originally released in 2003, “Oldboy” tells the story of a man who is kidnapped and held prisoner in a sealed hotel room for 15 years. He is suddenly released with no explanation, only to learn he has five days to discover why he was imprisoned or face the consequences.
- 4/17/2024
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Lionsgate Television and Park Chan-wook are partnering on an English-language adaptation of the South Korean auteur’s revenge thriller Oldboy.
Park and producing partner Syd Lim are attached to produce the series. Lionsgate Television executives Courtney Mock and Tara Joshi are overseeing the project.
The news comes days after the debut last weekend of Park’s HBO series The Sympathizer.
Oldboy became the first South Korean film to win the Grand Prix at Cannes in 2004 and the modern classic was re-released last year to mark its 20th anniversary.
Adapted from the Japanese manga of the same name, the feature follows...
Park and producing partner Syd Lim are attached to produce the series. Lionsgate Television executives Courtney Mock and Tara Joshi are overseeing the project.
The news comes days after the debut last weekend of Park’s HBO series The Sympathizer.
Oldboy became the first South Korean film to win the Grand Prix at Cannes in 2004 and the modern classic was re-released last year to mark its 20th anniversary.
Adapted from the Japanese manga of the same name, the feature follows...
- 4/17/2024
- ScreenDaily
Get ready to witness cinema's most stomach-churning twist all over again: "Oldboy" is coming to television. The 2003 Park Chan-Wook masterpiece (which was based on a manga by Garon Tsuchiya) is going to be remade as an English-language TV show, /Film has learned, and Park will be directly involved in crafting this new version.
Park is partnering with Lionsgate Television to develop a series adaptation of the impressively f***ed-up story and will produce the show along with his frequent collaborator Syd Lim. "Lionsgate Television shares my creative vision for bringing 'Oldboy' into the world of television," Park said in a press release. "I look forward to working with a studio whose brand stands for bold, original, and risk-taking storytelling." Past Lionsgate Television productions range from "Mad Men" to "Party Down" to "Yellowjackets," and given the company's wide-ranging list of past streaming and network partners, it's still too soon...
Park is partnering with Lionsgate Television to develop a series adaptation of the impressively f***ed-up story and will produce the show along with his frequent collaborator Syd Lim. "Lionsgate Television shares my creative vision for bringing 'Oldboy' into the world of television," Park said in a press release. "I look forward to working with a studio whose brand stands for bold, original, and risk-taking storytelling." Past Lionsgate Television productions range from "Mad Men" to "Party Down" to "Yellowjackets," and given the company's wide-ranging list of past streaming and network partners, it's still too soon...
- 4/17/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
Stop, hammer time! Park Chan-wook’s classic action thriller Oldboy is getting a TV series adaptation
Are you ready for some raw octopus, brutal hammer fights, and inadvertent incest? Well, I have good news for you! Lionsgate and the legendary South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook are teaming up for a series adaptation of Oldboy. Word about the Oldboy TV series follows Park’s The Sympathizer, which arrived to rave reviews on HBO. JoBlo’s Alex Maidy reviewed The Sympathizer, saying the series exceeded his expectations, with Robert Downey Jr. delivering a killer, career-high performance. The new version of Park Chan-wook’s Oldboy is the first English-language series adaptation of the iconic property. Park, who directed and co-wrote the original film, is attached to produce the series along with producing partner Syd Lim.
Per today’s press release from Lionsgate:
Oldboy has earned numerous accolades, becoming the first South Korean film to win the Grand Prix at Cannes in 2004 and being named to numerous lists of the greatest movies of all time.
Per today’s press release from Lionsgate:
Oldboy has earned numerous accolades, becoming the first South Korean film to win the Grand Prix at Cannes in 2004 and being named to numerous lists of the greatest movies of all time.
- 4/17/2024
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
Oldboy, the South Korean thriller that many consider a classic despite it only being released 21 years ago, is on track for a TV series adaptation.
TVLine has learned that Lionsgate Television is partnering with Park Chan-wook on the first English-language series adaptation of his 2003 film, which was adapted from a Japanese manga of the same name and went on to become the first South Korean film to win the Grand Prix at Cannes.
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Park,...
TVLine has learned that Lionsgate Television is partnering with Park Chan-wook on the first English-language series adaptation of his 2003 film, which was adapted from a Japanese manga of the same name and went on to become the first South Korean film to win the Grand Prix at Cannes.
More from TVLineAHS: Delicate Exposes a Major Betrayal Ahead of Season FinaleSurvivor Recap: Tribal Council Explodes Into Sheer MadnessSo Help Me Todd Is Not Preparing for Possible Cancellation
Park,...
- 4/17/2024
- by Matt Webb Mitovich
- TVLine.com
Park Chan-wook is developing his acclaimed film Oldboy for the first time as an English-language series in partnership with Lionsgate Television. Park, who directed and co-wrote the original film, is set to produce the series alongside producing partner Syd Lim.
The 2003 feature is an adaptation of the Japanese manga of the same name written by Garon Tsuchiya. It follows Oh Dae-su (Choi Min-sik), a man taken off the streets and imprisoned for 15 years who is one day released and given 5 days to find his captor.
Oldboy is the second title in Park’s Vengeance trilogy, following Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002) and preceding Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (2005). It earned multiple accolades including the Grand Prix at Cannes in 2004, a first for a South Korean film. Spike Lee remade the film in 2013 with Josh Brolin portraying the lead character, Joe Doucett.
“Lionsgate Television shares my creative vision for bringing Oldboy into the world of television,...
The 2003 feature is an adaptation of the Japanese manga of the same name written by Garon Tsuchiya. It follows Oh Dae-su (Choi Min-sik), a man taken off the streets and imprisoned for 15 years who is one day released and given 5 days to find his captor.
Oldboy is the second title in Park’s Vengeance trilogy, following Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002) and preceding Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (2005). It earned multiple accolades including the Grand Prix at Cannes in 2004, a first for a South Korean film. Spike Lee remade the film in 2013 with Josh Brolin portraying the lead character, Joe Doucett.
“Lionsgate Television shares my creative vision for bringing Oldboy into the world of television,...
- 4/17/2024
- by Rosy Cordero
- Deadline Film + TV
Korean auteur Park Chan-wook is set to adapt his 2003 masterpiece “Oldboy” as an English-language TV series alongside Lionsgate Television, the studio announced on Wednesday, April 17.
Park, who directed and co-wrote the original action mystery film, is attached to produce the “Oldboy” series adaptation alongside his producing partner Syd Lim.
Park is fresh off “The Sympathizer,” his limited series starring Robert Downey Jr. that just debuted on HBO this past weekend. And while it’s not the first English-language remake of “Oldboy” following Spike Lee’s 2013 film starring Josh Brolin, it will be the first time the film will be adapted for the small screen.
“Lionsgate Television shares my creative vision for bringing ‘Oldboy’ into the world of television,” Park said in a statement. “I look forward to working with a studio whose brand stands for bold, original and risk-taking storytelling.”
“Oldboy” was adapted from a Japanese manga of the same...
Park, who directed and co-wrote the original action mystery film, is attached to produce the “Oldboy” series adaptation alongside his producing partner Syd Lim.
Park is fresh off “The Sympathizer,” his limited series starring Robert Downey Jr. that just debuted on HBO this past weekend. And while it’s not the first English-language remake of “Oldboy” following Spike Lee’s 2013 film starring Josh Brolin, it will be the first time the film will be adapted for the small screen.
“Lionsgate Television shares my creative vision for bringing ‘Oldboy’ into the world of television,” Park said in a statement. “I look forward to working with a studio whose brand stands for bold, original and risk-taking storytelling.”
“Oldboy” was adapted from a Japanese manga of the same...
- 4/17/2024
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook is partnering with Lionsgate Television to develop a series version of his 2003 revenge thriller Oldboy.
The project would be an English-language adaptation of the story, which was loosely based on a magna with the same name.
“Lionsgate Television shares my creative vision for bringing Oldboy into the world of television,” said Park. “I look forward to working with a studio whose brand stands for bold, original and risk-taking storytelling.”
In addition to directing The Handmaiden and Decision to Leave, Park previously produced the dystopian thriller Snowpiercer which was likewise adapted into a series. He’s also directing and producing HBO’s new limited series The Sympathizer starring Robert Downey, Jr.
“Park is one of the most visionary storytellers of our generation, and we’re excited to partner with him in bringing his cinematic masterpiece to the television screen,” added Scott Herbst, EVP and Head of Scripted Development,...
The project would be an English-language adaptation of the story, which was loosely based on a magna with the same name.
“Lionsgate Television shares my creative vision for bringing Oldboy into the world of television,” said Park. “I look forward to working with a studio whose brand stands for bold, original and risk-taking storytelling.”
In addition to directing The Handmaiden and Decision to Leave, Park previously produced the dystopian thriller Snowpiercer which was likewise adapted into a series. He’s also directing and producing HBO’s new limited series The Sympathizer starring Robert Downey, Jr.
“Park is one of the most visionary storytellers of our generation, and we’re excited to partner with him in bringing his cinematic masterpiece to the television screen,” added Scott Herbst, EVP and Head of Scripted Development,...
- 4/17/2024
- by James Hibberd
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Miky Lee, vice chair of Korean media giant Cj, is set to give the USC School of Cinematic Arts 2024 commencement address, organizers said Tuesday.
As a pioneer of the Korean movie wave, Lee has championed Korean directors like Park Chan-wook and Bong Joon Ho, and has executive producer credits that include Lady Vengeance, The Host, Snowpiercer, The Handmaiden and Parasite, the latter of which was the first non-English-language film to win the Oscar for best picture.
She will give the commencement address at the graduation ceremony set for May 10 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.
“Miky Lee is a true pioneer and ambassador of collaborative global filmmaking, and we are so happy to have her share her insight and expertise with our graduating students,” Elizabeth M. Daley, dean of the USC School of Cinematic Arts, said in a statement.
Organizers also announced that the veteran Hollywood director, writer and...
As a pioneer of the Korean movie wave, Lee has championed Korean directors like Park Chan-wook and Bong Joon Ho, and has executive producer credits that include Lady Vengeance, The Host, Snowpiercer, The Handmaiden and Parasite, the latter of which was the first non-English-language film to win the Oscar for best picture.
She will give the commencement address at the graduation ceremony set for May 10 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.
“Miky Lee is a true pioneer and ambassador of collaborative global filmmaking, and we are so happy to have her share her insight and expertise with our graduating students,” Elizabeth M. Daley, dean of the USC School of Cinematic Arts, said in a statement.
Organizers also announced that the veteran Hollywood director, writer and...
- 4/16/2024
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Not long after winning an Oscar for Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, Robert Downey Jr. is starring in perhaps his most challenging project to date: another high-profile one. The Iron Man star, 59, is starring in a new HBO Max series called The Sympathizer, in which, he is playing four antagonist roles combined.
In addition to playing a CIA agent, Downey Jr. portrays a professor, a congressman, and a film director (who was influenced by Francis Ford Coppola). Meanwhile, Hoa Xuande plays The Captain (a Vietnamese spy) in the HBO series, which is based on the critically acclaimed book of a similar title by Viet Thanh Nguyen.
Hoa Xuande and Robert Downey Jr. in The Sympathizer
Behind The Sympathizer is Park Chan-wook, a renowned filmmaker best known for movies like Oldboy, and The Handmaiden. In a recent interview, the South Korean director and former film critic expressed his disappointment and regret at...
In addition to playing a CIA agent, Downey Jr. portrays a professor, a congressman, and a film director (who was influenced by Francis Ford Coppola). Meanwhile, Hoa Xuande plays The Captain (a Vietnamese spy) in the HBO series, which is based on the critically acclaimed book of a similar title by Viet Thanh Nguyen.
Hoa Xuande and Robert Downey Jr. in The Sympathizer
Behind The Sympathizer is Park Chan-wook, a renowned filmmaker best known for movies like Oldboy, and The Handmaiden. In a recent interview, the South Korean director and former film critic expressed his disappointment and regret at...
- 4/16/2024
- by Siddhika Prajapati
- FandomWire
Spoiler Alert: This article contains details of the first episode of HBO’s limited series The Sympathizer, which premiered on April 14.
“All right, see you stateside,” says Robert Downey Jr’s Claude quips with some gallows humor to Hoa Xuande’s The Captain near the end of the first episode of HBO’s The Sympathizer as communist North Vietnamese forces bombard soon-to-fall Saigon in 1975.
If the slippery CIA officer was the only role Oscar winner Downey portrays in the multi-genre adaptation of Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer-winning novel, it would capture a lot of attention on or off cable. However, Downey plays several characters in multicultural and multinational The Sympathizer from showrunners Park Chan-wook and Don McKellar as the action moves from the dying days of the American War, as it is known in Southeast Asia, to Southern California and back again.
Along with the music-fan spymaster and mentor to the Captain,...
“All right, see you stateside,” says Robert Downey Jr’s Claude quips with some gallows humor to Hoa Xuande’s The Captain near the end of the first episode of HBO’s The Sympathizer as communist North Vietnamese forces bombard soon-to-fall Saigon in 1975.
If the slippery CIA officer was the only role Oscar winner Downey portrays in the multi-genre adaptation of Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer-winning novel, it would capture a lot of attention on or off cable. However, Downey plays several characters in multicultural and multinational The Sympathizer from showrunners Park Chan-wook and Don McKellar as the action moves from the dying days of the American War, as it is known in Southeast Asia, to Southern California and back again.
Along with the music-fan spymaster and mentor to the Captain,...
- 4/15/2024
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
Have you ever experienced that electrifying moment in a film when everything you thought you knew gets flipped on its head?
I know I have, and let me tell you, there’s nothing quite like the rush of adrenaline that comes from a jaw-dropping twist ending.
Join me on a thrilling cinematic adventure as we dive deep into the realm of mind-bending twist endings.
From the classics that stunned audiences to the hidden gems that deserve more attention, we’re about to embark on a journey through the twists and turns that make movie magic genuinely unforgettable.
Get comfy because the surprises are about to begin!
A Personal Quest for Unforgettable Endings
As a devoted film enthusiast, I’ve always cherished the rollercoaster of emotions that movies can evoke.
Yet, those moments of sheer shock and awe have etched themselves into my memories.
From the palpable gasps of disbelief to...
I know I have, and let me tell you, there’s nothing quite like the rush of adrenaline that comes from a jaw-dropping twist ending.
Join me on a thrilling cinematic adventure as we dive deep into the realm of mind-bending twist endings.
From the classics that stunned audiences to the hidden gems that deserve more attention, we’re about to embark on a journey through the twists and turns that make movie magic genuinely unforgettable.
Get comfy because the surprises are about to begin!
A Personal Quest for Unforgettable Endings
As a devoted film enthusiast, I’ve always cherished the rollercoaster of emotions that movies can evoke.
Yet, those moments of sheer shock and awe have etched themselves into my memories.
From the palpable gasps of disbelief to...
- 4/15/2024
- by Pia Vermaak
- buddytv.com
With the first episode of The Sympathizer premiering this past weekend on HBO, the world is seeing just how wild this adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel is. A stunning blend of war story, satire, and powerful drama, The Sympathizer boasts impressive performances from a cast featuring Hoa Xuande, Sandra Oh, and Robert Downey Jr in five distinct performances. Written by Don McKellar alongside Oldboy director Park Chan-wook, The Sympathizer is incredible. The seven-part series will be a big contender for series of the year. I got the chance to speak with the cast and producers about bringing the book to the screen, and their insights are below. Check it out.
First, I asked Sandra Oh about her layered experience making recent films like Umma, which focused on Korean identity, and the comedy Quiz Lady with Awkwafina, which touched on race and culture without making it a central part of the plot.
First, I asked Sandra Oh about her layered experience making recent films like Umma, which focused on Korean identity, and the comedy Quiz Lady with Awkwafina, which touched on race and culture without making it a central part of the plot.
- 4/15/2024
- by Alex Maidy
- JoBlo.com
If you felt the instinct to pause, rewind, or repeat part of the premiere to HBO’s “The Sympathizer” on its April 14 premiere, showrunner Park Chan-Wook is one step ahead of you.
The Korean director best known for films like “Oldboy” and “The Handmaiden” and the recent “Decision to Leave” was a critical mind in shaping “The Sympathizer,” based on Viet Thanh Nguyen’s bestseller, which required anticipating how the audience would receive the story. In Episode 1, we meet our unnamed protagonist, The Captain (Hoa Xuande), whose interrogation frames the flashbacks that follow.
The Captain’s confession was one element of adapting Nguyen’s story, Park told IndieWire over Zoom with a translator, but the second piece of that framework was particularly exciting: The Commandant’s (Quinn Hoàng) interruptions.
“Sometimes the commandant might get angry at the captain, or sometimes be criticizing — that is how he engages himself in this storytelling,...
The Korean director best known for films like “Oldboy” and “The Handmaiden” and the recent “Decision to Leave” was a critical mind in shaping “The Sympathizer,” based on Viet Thanh Nguyen’s bestseller, which required anticipating how the audience would receive the story. In Episode 1, we meet our unnamed protagonist, The Captain (Hoa Xuande), whose interrogation frames the flashbacks that follow.
The Captain’s confession was one element of adapting Nguyen’s story, Park told IndieWire over Zoom with a translator, but the second piece of that framework was particularly exciting: The Commandant’s (Quinn Hoàng) interruptions.
“Sometimes the commandant might get angry at the captain, or sometimes be criticizing — that is how he engages himself in this storytelling,...
- 4/15/2024
- by Proma Khosla
- Indiewire
Following Robert Downey Jr.’s Oscar win for Oppenheimer, new doors of opportunities opened for the actor. Starring in another prestige project, that came as one of his most challenging performances yet, Downey Jr. appeared in a supporting role in the recently released HBO series, The Sympathizer.
HBO series The Sympathizer (2024)
Based on the acclaimed book by Viet Thanh Nguyen, The Sympathizer stars Robert Downey Jr. in four different roles: a director, a congressional representative, a professor, and a CIA operative. While this came as a true challenge for the Iron Man star, the show creator revealed why the actor was booked to play four different roles.
The Sympathizer Creators Explained the Curious Casting of Robert Downey Jr.
Adapted from the novel by Viet Thanh Nguyen; Park Chan-wook, and Don McKellar came up with the brilliant idea for their recently released HBO show The Sympathizer. Starring Hoa Xuande as a Vietnamese spy named The Captain,...
HBO series The Sympathizer (2024)
Based on the acclaimed book by Viet Thanh Nguyen, The Sympathizer stars Robert Downey Jr. in four different roles: a director, a congressional representative, a professor, and a CIA operative. While this came as a true challenge for the Iron Man star, the show creator revealed why the actor was booked to play four different roles.
The Sympathizer Creators Explained the Curious Casting of Robert Downey Jr.
Adapted from the novel by Viet Thanh Nguyen; Park Chan-wook, and Don McKellar came up with the brilliant idea for their recently released HBO show The Sympathizer. Starring Hoa Xuande as a Vietnamese spy named The Captain,...
- 4/15/2024
- by Krittika Mukherjee
- FandomWire
[Warning: The following contains Major spoilers for The Sympathizer Season 1 Episode 1, “Death Wish.”] South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook (Oldboy) and Don McKellar took on the task of adapting The Sympathizer book to the small screen. The limited series premiered on Sunday, April 14 on HBO, revealing its interpretation of the source material that’s highly praised for its unique style. The Sympathizer is an espionage thriller and cross-culture satire about the struggles of a half-French, half-Vietnamese communist spy during the final days of the Vietnam War and his new life as a refugee in Los Angeles, where he learns that his spying days aren’t over. Those who have read Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel know the book is narrated by the unnamed main character. The Sympathizer series named its leading man the Captain (played by Hoa Xuande), and they took a creative liberty in regards to the context of his narration. In the series premiere,...
- 4/15/2024
- TV Insider
“I am a spy, a sleeper, a spook, a man of two faces.”
So begins Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel “The Sympathizer,” which, when released in 2015, was hailed for its humorous, biting interrogation of American perspectives on the Vietnam War.
Integrating elements of the espionage thriller à lá John le Carré with a heavy sense of irony reminiscent of Ralph Ellison’s “Invisible Man,” “The Sympathizer” is told from the viewpoint of an officer in the U.S.-supported South Vietnam army who secretly reports back to communists in North Vietnam. Framed as a confession to the people for whom he has ostensibly been spying, the narrator — who goes unnamed in the novel — chronicles the story of his journey to Southern California, where he joins the Vietnamese refugee community settling there and grapples with questions of loyalty and assimilation.
In a 2015 interview, Nguyen, who is a professor at the University of Southern California,...
So begins Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel “The Sympathizer,” which, when released in 2015, was hailed for its humorous, biting interrogation of American perspectives on the Vietnam War.
Integrating elements of the espionage thriller à lá John le Carré with a heavy sense of irony reminiscent of Ralph Ellison’s “Invisible Man,” “The Sympathizer” is told from the viewpoint of an officer in the U.S.-supported South Vietnam army who secretly reports back to communists in North Vietnam. Framed as a confession to the people for whom he has ostensibly been spying, the narrator — who goes unnamed in the novel — chronicles the story of his journey to Southern California, where he joins the Vietnamese refugee community settling there and grapples with questions of loyalty and assimilation.
In a 2015 interview, Nguyen, who is a professor at the University of Southern California,...
- 4/14/2024
- by Rachel Seo
- Variety Film + TV
The life of a spy can be exciting, glamorous, and sexy, but it can also be deadly, especially when you are a sleeper agent whose loyalties are in question. The new HBO satirical/thriller series “The Sympathizer” premieres on Sunday, April 14 at 9 p.m. Et on Max and pulls the curtain back on the world of international espionage before and after the end of the Vietnam War. Starring Hoa Xuande and Robert Downey Jr., the series has all of the makings of HBO’s next Sunday-night obsession. You can watch with a subscription to Max.
How to Watch ‘The Sympathizer’ Premiere When: Sunday, April 14, 2024 at 9:00 Pm Edt Where: Max Stream: Watch with a subscription to Max. Sign Up$9.99+ / month Max.com About ‘The Sympathizer’ Premiere
Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Viet Thanh Nguyen, “The Sympathizer” chronicles the journey of a half-French, half-Vietnamese communist spy known as the Captain...
How to Watch ‘The Sympathizer’ Premiere When: Sunday, April 14, 2024 at 9:00 Pm Edt Where: Max Stream: Watch with a subscription to Max. Sign Up$9.99+ / month Max.com About ‘The Sympathizer’ Premiere
Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Viet Thanh Nguyen, “The Sympathizer” chronicles the journey of a half-French, half-Vietnamese communist spy known as the Captain...
- 4/14/2024
- by Matt Tamanini
- The Streamable
Robert Downey Jr. is currently on one of the hottest runs of his four decade acting career, following his Oscar win for Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” with an unprecedented turn in Park Chan-wook’s new HBO series “The Sympathizer” that sees him playing four different characters.
The two projects showcase opposite sides of Downey’s talents. His performance as Machiavellian political operative Lewis Strauss in “Oppenheimer” was an exercise in subtlety, relying on slight gestures and layered glances to provide the ideal foil for Cillian Murphy’s J. Robert Oppenheimer. “The Sympathizer,” on the other hand, relies on the cocky screen presence that made his Tony Stark the most beloved fixture of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
In a recent interview with Esquire, Downey used a very colorful metaphor to explain that shooting “The Sympathizer” right after “Oppenheimer” allowed him to recover creatively from the precision that was required to work with Nolan.
The two projects showcase opposite sides of Downey’s talents. His performance as Machiavellian political operative Lewis Strauss in “Oppenheimer” was an exercise in subtlety, relying on slight gestures and layered glances to provide the ideal foil for Cillian Murphy’s J. Robert Oppenheimer. “The Sympathizer,” on the other hand, relies on the cocky screen presence that made his Tony Stark the most beloved fixture of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
In a recent interview with Esquire, Downey used a very colorful metaphor to explain that shooting “The Sympathizer” right after “Oppenheimer” allowed him to recover creatively from the precision that was required to work with Nolan.
- 4/13/2024
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
Walton Goggins is no stranger to meaty roles he can make his own, and now the Emmy-nominated “Justified” actor is sinking his teeth into Amazon’s highly anticipated “Fallout,” an adaptation of the popular video game from “Westworld” duo Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy. In the darkly funny post-apocalyptic series, which is now streaming on Prime Video, Goggins pulls double duty as The Ghoul, a disfigured, centuries-old immortal cowboy who’s been stripped of all his humanity, and Cooper Howard, the Hollywood actor he was before the bombs fell. But while Goggins often steals the show — a welcome habit at this point — it’s Ella Purnell’s Lucy who anchors the narrative. Raised in the underground fallout shelters known as Vaults, Lucy travels to the irradiated surface to search for her missing father (Kyle MacLachlan), and she’s shocked to discover a hyper-violent wasteland largely at odds with her inherently optimistic disposition,...
- 4/13/2024
- by Kaitlin Thomas
- Gold Derby
There’s an awful lot of pressure that comes with adapting an acclaimed novel for the screen, especially if it won the prestigious Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. HBO teams up with A24, the indie production company behind Beef and Euphoria, to take on that challenge with its small-screen take on The Sympathizer, the best-selling 2015 novel by Vietnamese-American academic and author Viet Thanh Nguyen. Revered South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook, whose 2003 prison thriller Oldboy is said to have influenced Nguyen’s novel, leads the creative charge as co-creator, director, and writer alongside collaborator Don McKellar (Last Night), who is credited as co-showrunner and writer.
- 4/12/2024
- by Philiana Ng
- Primetimer
Rights to “I, The Executioner,” which will premiere as a Midnight Screening at the Cannes Film Festival this year, have been picked up by South Korea’s Cj Enm.
The crime-action film directed by Ryu Seung-wan (also written Ryoo Seung-wan) is a sequel to Ryu’s 2015 hit “Veteran” and in Korea goes by the title “Veteran 2.”
Few details of the story have yet been disclosed, but Cj describes the film as “combining Ryu’s trademark action with observations and messages about social change.” Ryu last year enjoyed major box office success with crime comedy “Smugglers.”
Hwang Jung-min, who recently enjoyed box office success in “12.12: The Day,” reprises his role from “Veteran.” He is joined in the sequel by Jung Hae-in (“Tune in for Love”) as a new member of the film’s Violent Crime Investigation Squad.
“I, The Executioner” was produced by Filmmaker R & K, the production shingle owned...
The crime-action film directed by Ryu Seung-wan (also written Ryoo Seung-wan) is a sequel to Ryu’s 2015 hit “Veteran” and in Korea goes by the title “Veteran 2.”
Few details of the story have yet been disclosed, but Cj describes the film as “combining Ryu’s trademark action with observations and messages about social change.” Ryu last year enjoyed major box office success with crime comedy “Smugglers.”
Hwang Jung-min, who recently enjoyed box office success in “12.12: The Day,” reprises his role from “Veteran.” He is joined in the sequel by Jung Hae-in (“Tune in for Love”) as a new member of the film’s Violent Crime Investigation Squad.
“I, The Executioner” was produced by Filmmaker R & K, the production shingle owned...
- 4/12/2024
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
This The Sympathizer review contains no spoilers.
Celebrated South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook takes his auteur-driven vision to HBO with the new television series The Sympathizer. Adapting the Pulitzer Prize-winning 2015 novel of the same name by Viet Thanh Nguyen, the series follows a Vietnamese double agent after he flees the country, finding himself drawn deep into a strange juxtaposition of espionage and Hollywood filmmaking. With its off-kilter tone and a quartet of wonderfully weird performances from co-star and executive producer Robert Downey, Jr., The Sympathizer may not be everyone’s cup of tea but, what it does, it does very well.
The Sympathizer opens under the backdrop of the fall of Saigon in 1975, following an unnamed protagonist known and credited simply as “The Captain,” played by Hoa Xuande. Secretly working as a double agent on behalf of the North Vietnamese government, the Captain serves as the right-hand man for a...
Celebrated South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook takes his auteur-driven vision to HBO with the new television series The Sympathizer. Adapting the Pulitzer Prize-winning 2015 novel of the same name by Viet Thanh Nguyen, the series follows a Vietnamese double agent after he flees the country, finding himself drawn deep into a strange juxtaposition of espionage and Hollywood filmmaking. With its off-kilter tone and a quartet of wonderfully weird performances from co-star and executive producer Robert Downey, Jr., The Sympathizer may not be everyone’s cup of tea but, what it does, it does very well.
The Sympathizer opens under the backdrop of the fall of Saigon in 1975, following an unnamed protagonist known and credited simply as “The Captain,” played by Hoa Xuande. Secretly working as a double agent on behalf of the North Vietnamese government, the Captain serves as the right-hand man for a...
- 4/12/2024
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
Fresh off of his Oppenheimer Oscar win, Robert Downey Jr. is playing not just one new character but four in upcoming HBO series The Sympathizer.
The series is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name by Viet Thanh Nguyen, which is set at the end of the Vietnam war and follows an unnamed spy known as The Captain (played by Hoa Xuande) who flees to the United States, where he continues to gather intelligence and report back to the Viet Cong. In the show, Downey plays four different Americans who play a role in the spy’s journey: a CIA operative, a professor, a congressman and a movie director.
Park Chan-wook, who served as co-showrunner and directed several of the episodes, explained via a translator at the show’s Los Angeles premiere Tuesday that “even though each of the characters from all of the four have different...
The series is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name by Viet Thanh Nguyen, which is set at the end of the Vietnam war and follows an unnamed spy known as The Captain (played by Hoa Xuande) who flees to the United States, where he continues to gather intelligence and report back to the Viet Cong. In the show, Downey plays four different Americans who play a role in the spy’s journey: a CIA operative, a professor, a congressman and a movie director.
Park Chan-wook, who served as co-showrunner and directed several of the episodes, explained via a translator at the show’s Los Angeles premiere Tuesday that “even though each of the characters from all of the four have different...
- 4/10/2024
- by Kirsten Chuba
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The upcoming HBO series “The Sympathizer” is bringing an unsung voice to a story that has been told and retold from the American point of view, providing actors like Sandra Oh a chance to finally be involved in a project that puts the Vietnamese refugee experience into focus.
“This perspective has been missing for 50 years,” said Oh, who plays the recurring role of Sofia.
Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Viet Thanh Nguyen, the miniseries boasts a majority-Vietnamese cast and crew, including celebrated “The Handmaiden” director and screenwriter Park Chan-wook and esteemed “The Joy Luck Club” actress Kieu Chinh.
Many of the acclaimed talent included are making their American film debuts, and others are getting their big breaks on the international stage. Duy Nguyen was raised in Hanoi, Vietnam, and later immigrated to Montreal, Canada. His story encapsulates Oh’s commitment to the series.
“He has such a deep emotional connection to this project,...
“This perspective has been missing for 50 years,” said Oh, who plays the recurring role of Sofia.
Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Viet Thanh Nguyen, the miniseries boasts a majority-Vietnamese cast and crew, including celebrated “The Handmaiden” director and screenwriter Park Chan-wook and esteemed “The Joy Luck Club” actress Kieu Chinh.
Many of the acclaimed talent included are making their American film debuts, and others are getting their big breaks on the international stage. Duy Nguyen was raised in Hanoi, Vietnam, and later immigrated to Montreal, Canada. His story encapsulates Oh’s commitment to the series.
“He has such a deep emotional connection to this project,...
- 4/10/2024
- by Rance Collins
- Variety Film + TV
Even toward the end of The Sympathizer’s six-month shoot, Hoa Xuande would still sometimes look out over the set in disbelief and think, “Am I really sitting here? Are they really letting me do this?”
“This” would be toplining HBO and A24’s limited series adaptation of Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel about a communist North Vietnamese agent (known only as The Captain) embedded on the American-backed South Vietnamese side. It’s a dream role for any actor who relishes a challenge — multilayered, multilingual, packed with drama, comedy, sex and action — on a project with an impeccable pedigree. The seven-part series not only co-stars Robert Downey Jr. (who also executive produces) and Sandra Oh but counts legendary director Park Chan-wook as co-showrunner.
“This show was going to work or not based on this piece of casting,” says executive producer Susan Downey. “Finding The Captain was the most...
“This” would be toplining HBO and A24’s limited series adaptation of Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel about a communist North Vietnamese agent (known only as The Captain) embedded on the American-backed South Vietnamese side. It’s a dream role for any actor who relishes a challenge — multilayered, multilingual, packed with drama, comedy, sex and action — on a project with an impeccable pedigree. The seven-part series not only co-stars Robert Downey Jr. (who also executive produces) and Sandra Oh but counts legendary director Park Chan-wook as co-showrunner.
“This show was going to work or not based on this piece of casting,” says executive producer Susan Downey. “Finding The Captain was the most...
- 4/10/2024
- by Rebecca Sun
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Plot: Based on Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Sympathizer is an espionage thriller and cross-culture satire about the struggles of a half-French, half-Vietnamese communist spy during the final days of the Vietnam War and his new life as a refugee in Los Angeles, where he learns that his spying days aren’t over.
Review: The initial teaser released in 2023 showed that The Sympathizer would be something special. Featuring writing and direction from Park Chan-wook alongside writer Don McKellar and featuring Oscar winner Robert Downey Jr in five distinct roles, The Sympathizer is not only an adaptation of a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel but a masterpiece of visual storytelling. A satirical blend of dark humor and visceral drama, The Sympathizer is unlike anything in recent memory. A startling perspective on the experience of the Vietnam War from the perspective of an unreliable narrator, this series spans years and genres...
Review: The initial teaser released in 2023 showed that The Sympathizer would be something special. Featuring writing and direction from Park Chan-wook alongside writer Don McKellar and featuring Oscar winner Robert Downey Jr in five distinct roles, The Sympathizer is not only an adaptation of a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel but a masterpiece of visual storytelling. A satirical blend of dark humor and visceral drama, The Sympathizer is unlike anything in recent memory. A startling perspective on the experience of the Vietnam War from the perspective of an unreliable narrator, this series spans years and genres...
- 4/10/2024
- by Alex Maidy
- JoBlo.com
Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook’s last foray into the television medium was for an adaptation of a John Le Carré novel, so it should come as no surprise that his next venture is also a spy thriller adaptation. The Sympathizer is an incredibly involved miniseries with many moving pieces, but thanks to an incredible team behind and in front of the camera, the pieces mostly come together in spectacular fashion.
Adapted from the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name, The Sympathizer tells the story of a North Vietnamese plant in the South Vietnamese army who flees to the United States as a refugee, kicking off a web of lies and deceit. Although it has the premise of an espionage thriller, there’s so much more here, and the result is thoroughly entertaining.
The show does struggle to explore some of its themes with the depth they deserve. There are...
Adapted from the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name, The Sympathizer tells the story of a North Vietnamese plant in the South Vietnamese army who flees to the United States as a refugee, kicking off a web of lies and deceit. Although it has the premise of an espionage thriller, there’s so much more here, and the result is thoroughly entertaining.
The show does struggle to explore some of its themes with the depth they deserve. There are...
- 4/10/2024
- by Sean Boelman
- FandomWire
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