For now, Bong Joon Ho is deep in the world of animation. But somewhere beyond the ocean depths of Ally, darker stories are already waiting.
The Parasite director has revealed that his post-Ally plans could pull him back toward crime, horror and dark action. One familiar idea is still there too: the long-discussed horror story set around Seoul’s subway system. But there is a twist. Bong is not saying that this will definitely be his next film.
Bong Joon Ho has more than one dark story in mind
The latest glimpse into Bong’s future came during his appearance at the Torino Film Festival’s Museo Nazionale del Cinema, where the filmmaker received the Stella della Mole Award and reflected on where his career could go next.
For the moment, however, Ally remains the priority.
The animated feature is currently in post-production, and Bong is still closely involved with the work. Yet when Variety asked about the horror project he had previously discussed, particularly the one connected to Seoul’s subway system, Bong made it clear that the idea has not disappeared.
“Yeah, it’s still in my head. Now I have two or three stories. I’ve always been a huge fan of crime stories and dark horror action movies.”
That short answer changes the picture quite a bit.
The Seoul subway concept is still alive in Bong’s thoughts, but it is not officially confirmed as his next movie. Instead, the director says he currently has two or three stories in mind, with crime and dark horror action clearly among the genres attracting his attention.
That leaves the next chapter of his filmography open.
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The Seoul subway horror project is still alive
Bong has previously spoken about a horror story connected to Seoul’s subway system, making his latest comments notable.
The idea has survived even as his filmmaking has moved into a completely different environment with Ally. But the distinction between a project being in the filmmaker’s thoughts and being formally scheduled for production matters here.
At present, there is no announced title, cast, production start date or release date for Bong’s next crime or horror film.
So while the subway horror story remains one of the most recognisable possibilities, Bong’s own comments point to a broader pool of ideas rather than a single locked-in project.
| Project / Plan | Current status |
| Ally | In post-production |
| Seoul subway horror story | Still in Bong Joon Ho’s thoughts |
| Other crime/horror stories | Two or three stories currently in mind |
| Next crime/horror film | No confirmed title, cast, production start date or release date |
Why Bong’s crime and horror interests feel familiar
Bong’s filmography has rarely stayed inside one genre.
That history makes his renewed interest in crime and horror especially interesting. Memories of Murder blended a crime investigation with psychological tension, while The Host brought horror and monster-movie elements into a family and social drama.
Other films, including Mother, Snowpiercer, Okja and Parasite, have similarly crossed genre boundaries while exploring social or human themes.
Now, after completing an animated deep-sea adventure, Bong appears to be looking toward darker territory again.
His own description is particularly clear: he says he has “always been a huge fan of crime stories and dark horror action movies.”
Still, the filmmaker has not announced which of his ideas will ultimately move forward first.
For audiences watching his next move, that uncertainty is part of the story.
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Before anything else, Bong has to finish Ally
The biggest immediate development is not the subway horror project. It is Ally.
Bong’s first feature-length animated film as director is currently in post-production, with teams working across South Korea, the United Kingdom, Montreal and Mumbai.
The production remains an international operation, and Bong recently held a video conference with members of his Seoul and London teams as work continued.
He has also completed additional dubbing and voice recording.
The filmmaker expects Ally to be fully completed around late January or February 2027. That timeline means his next crime or horror project is still behind the animated film in the production queue.
Once Ally is finished, Bong is expected to move into more detailed screenwriting on his darker ideas.
Earlier information from CJ ENM and the Korean Film Council had placed Ally on a 2027 production and theatrical-release track. The film has already been in development for several years and marks Bong’s first feature-length animated film as director.
What is Bong Joon Ho’s Ally actually about?
The world Bong is creating in Ally could hardly be further removed from a Seoul subway horror story.
The film follows Ally, a curious young piglet squid living in the unexplored depths of the South Pacific Ocean.
Her dream is simple but enormous: she wants to see the sun and become the star of a wildlife documentary.
Then everything changes.
A mysterious aircraft crashes into the ocean, disrupting Ally’s peaceful underwater existence and sending her and a group of companions on an unexpected journey toward the surface.
Pathé’s official synopsis describes Ally as a small, curious marine creature whose life is transformed by the aircraft crash, leading her into an extraordinary adventure.
The story brings together deep-sea creatures, humans and an adventure that travels between the underwater world and the surface.
Recent Korean Film Council material also notes that the movie expands Bong’s interest in humanity’s relationship with the natural world.
The screenplay was written by Bong Joon Ho and Jason Yu, the filmmaker behind Sleep. Producer Seo Woo-sik, who previously worked with Bong on Mother and Okja, is also involved.
Ally brings together a major international voice cast
The unusual underwater story also comes with an international English-language cast.
The previously announced voice cast includes:
- Bradley Cooper
- Ayo Edebiri
- Dave Bautista
- Finn Wolfhard
- Rachel House
- Werner Herzog
- Alex Jayne Go
Alex Jayne Go provides the voice of the central character, Ally.
That means the three names initially highlighted in the report — Bradley Cooper, Ayo Edebiri and Dave Bautista — are only part of the wider announced ensemble.
The production itself is similarly international.
CJ ENM, Penture Invest and Pathé are involved with the film, while DNEG is handling the 3DCG animation.
Pathé’s official information lists Ally as a 2026 production, identifies Bong Joon Ho as director and describes it as an English-language animated feature.
Could Ally reach Sundance, Berlin or Cannes?
There is another piece of the Ally puzzle that remains unsettled: its festival and theatrical release strategy.
The film does not yet have a finalized worldwide theatrical release date.
Bong has indicated that distributors are considering a release window around June, July or August 2027, although that remains dependent on their plans.
A major international festival premiere is also possible.
When Bong was asked about potential festival destinations, he said:
“Sundance or Berlin is possible, and also Cannes. But I don’t know, it all depends on the release strategy of the distributors.”
That means Sundance, Berlin and Cannes are possibilities, not confirmed premiere destinations.
The completion timeline could make a 2027 festival strategy possible. If Ally is completed around late January or February 2027, distributors can then determine the final festival and theatrical path.
For now, though, there is no confirmed festival premiere.
Ally comes after Mickey 17
Ally will be Bong’s first feature following 2025’s Mickey 17, his science-fiction film starring Robert Pattinson.
The transition is striking.
Bong is moving from a large-scale science-fiction production into a feature-length animated story set in the depths of the South Pacific Ocean. But Ally is not simply an animated version of one of his previous live-action concepts.
It is an original world populated by marine creatures and humans.
Bong has reportedly been developing the project since around 2019, meaning the film has taken years to reach its current stage.
Now that production has advanced into post-production, the director is beginning to look beyond it.
And that is where the darker possibilities return.
The Seoul subway story could be part of Bong’s next chapter
Among Bong’s future ideas, the Seoul subway horror project stands out because it has already been publicly discussed before.
His latest remarks confirm that the concept remains in his head.
But they also introduce something important: it is not alone.
Bong says he now has two or three stories in mind. His comments specifically point toward crime stories and dark horror action movies as genres he continues to enjoy.
That means the eventual follow-up to Ally could emerge from a group of developing ideas rather than from a project already formally announced.
For now, the subway story should therefore be viewed as one possible future project, not a confirmed next production.
There is also no announced title, cast, production start date or release date for the next crime or horror movie.
The screenplay stage is where those ideas currently sit.
Bong’s Torino appearance offers a glimpse beyond Ally
Bong’s appearance in Turin adds another layer to the update.
The filmmaker received the Stella della Mole, a major honour from Turin’s National Museum of Cinema, and participated in a masterclass connected to the recognition.
He also introduced a screening of Parasite during the event.
Against that backdrop, his comments about his future projects offered a glimpse into what could follow the animated adventure.
Ally may take Bong into a colourful deep-sea world filled with marine creatures, humans and an unusual journey toward the surface. But once that film is complete, his own comments suggest that crime, horror and darker action could once again become central to his filmmaking.
And the Seoul subway idea has not vanished.
It is still there — just not alone.
Conclusion: Bong Joon Ho’s next move remains deliberately open
Bong Joon Ho’s immediate task is clear: finish Ally, his first feature-length animated film as director, with completion expected around late January or February 2027.
After that, the path becomes less certain.
The director has two or three stories in mind and has specifically expressed his enduring interest in crime stories and dark horror action movies. The Seoul subway horror concept remains one of those possibilities, but it has not been confirmed as his next film.
For now, there is no confirmed next title, cast, production start date or release date for a new Bong crime or horror movie.
So the next chapter is still unwritten.
What is clear is that while Bong Joon Ho is currently taking audiences deep beneath the South Pacific with Ally, he is already thinking about stories that could take him somewhere considerably darker.
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Source Disclaimer
This article has been prepared based on thorough research of the sources provided in the original material, including the cited Variety, Korean Film Council/KoBiz, Pathé Films, Yonhap and Animation World Network reports and official information. The article reflects the information and reported comments available in those sources as of September 28, 2026 and does not imply independent verification beyond the material provided. Bong Joon Ho’s crime and horror projects, including the Seoul subway concept, remain in development and do not currently have confirmed production or release details.
Sources
- Korean Film Council / KoBiz: Bong Joon Ho’s first animated film Ally
- Pathé Films: Ally official film page
- Yonhap: Bong Joon Ho ventures into animation with Ally
- Animation World Network: Ally voice cast announcement
- Variety: Bong Joon Ho on Ally and its international voice cast
- Korean Film Council / KoBiz: Ally and Bong’s Torino appearance
Featured Image Credit: V8 Pistons Pictures / Pathé / CJ ENM
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