Director Yeon Sang-ho's new zombie film Swarm has confirmed a Korean theatrical release for May 21.
Swarm (directed by Yeon Sang-ho; presented and distributed by Showbox; produced by WOWPOINT and Smilegate; co-produced by Midnight Studio) has been officially invited to the Midnight Screening section of the 79th Cannes Film Festival, drawing major attention. Set inside a locked-down building during a mysterious outbreak, the film follows survivors as they face infected who evolve in unpredictable ways.
As the filmmaker who rewrote Korean zombie cinema with Train to Busan, Yeon's latest is a highly anticipated theatrical release.
On the 15th, the trailer for Swarm dropped first via U.S. entertainment trade outlet Variety, immediately making waves. Released with Korean audio as well, the international trailer opens with agonizing body contortions as people transform into the infected, seizing viewers' attention. Seo Young-cheol (played by Koo Kyo-hwan) declares, "Today, we're going to run an experiment. No—it's not an experiment, it's a terror attack," hinting that the mass infection is no mere accident. Infected sprinting on all fours and swarming together to threaten survivors promise a fresh, unexpected horror.
Even from the trailer alone, early viewers are fired up. Some commented, "The zombies' acting is insane," and "A masterpiece to follow Train to Busan."
Also drawing buzz as Jeon Ji-hyun's big-screen comeback, Swarm will hold its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, which opens on May 12, before meeting Korean audiences.