Michael Fassbender's career has become closely associated with some of sci-fi's biggest franchises. The German-born actor rose to mainstream prominence through two major roles in the genre, first as Magneto in the X-Men films and later as Walter in Ridley Scott's Alien franchise. Fassbender is expected to return to the latter, following Scott's recent revelation that he has plans to revisit the Alien universe with a new Walter-centric film following the unresolved ending of Alien: Covenant. However, fans of the Oscar-nominated actor were recently treated to another unrelated alien blockbuster featuring his talents.
Fassbender, alongside his wife, Alicia Vikander, recently starred in Hope, a South Korean sci-fi blockbuster centered on an alien invasion in a sleepy town. The film, directed by Na Hong-jin (The Wailing), first released in its home country to considerable success, with multiple theaters reportedly selling out in advance. NEON later brought the film to North American theaters, where it received positive reactions from the audiences who caught it. Unfortunately, Hope's box office performance was hampered by the timing of its release, which saw it competing for attention with bigger blockbusters, including The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The movie grossed just a million dollars more than its reported $46 million budget, and though that may not seem like a particularly impressive return, the film still left North American theaters with a notable record of becoming the third-highest-grossing Korean film of all time in the region.
After roughly a month in theaters, Hope is now available to watch at home via premium video-on-demand (PVOD), with options to rent or purchase. Given the film's positive reception, it could be poised for a stronger run on digital platforms. Hope currently holds a 79% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes, nearly matching its 77% audience score, with the site's critics' consensus describing it as "an unhinged sci-fi epic that boasts awe-inspiring production design and amusingly quaint visual effects," adding, "Na Hong-jin's Hope gets the adrenaline pumping whenever it focuses on the unraveling of its hapless human heroes."
'Hope' Is Also Getting a Blu-ray Release
Audiences who have seen Hope have praised the film's masterful blend of horror and humor, a sentiment particularly reflected in its Rotten Tomatoes audience consensus, which describes it as a thrilling alien invasion story that keeps viewers hooked once it gets going. It's the kind of review that can trigger positive word-of-mouth promotion and ultimately lead to greater commercial success as the film expands its reach beyond theaters.
In partnership with Decal Releasing, NEON is also giving fans the opportunity to add the sci-fi epic to their physical media collections with a new Blu-ray release. The release, which comes with a Dolby Atmos audio track for a more immersive home-viewing experience, is scheduled to arrive on December 22, just in time for Christmas, and will come packed with bonus features. Unfortunately, a 4K UHD edition is not part of the lineup, though a higher-resolution release could potentially arrive in the future. For now, the Blu-ray will offer behind-the-scenes featurettes and interviews with director Na Hong-jin. A release date for the film's debut on a subscription streaming platform has yet to be announced, but audiences can now rent or purchase Hope at home via digital storefronts such as Amazon and Apple TV.
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