Bong Joon Ho, ‘Parasite’ and ‘Memories of Murder’ director set to make animation debut with ‘Ally’

Oscar-winning filmmaker Bong Joon Ho, best known for groundbreaking films like Parasite, Memories of Murder and Okja, has revealed his first feature-length animated film, titled Ally, marking a major new chapter in his celebrated career. With a worldwide theatrical release planned for 2027, Ally represents Bong’s bold pivot into animation while maintaining his reputation for layered storytelling and genre-defying narratives.

While Bong’s previous works have spanned crime dramas, dystopian sci-fi and monster epics, Ally is his first animated feature, developed over several years. The film has been in development since 2019.

Bong co-wrote the screenplay with Jason Yu, the filmmaker behind the 2023 mystery horror Sleep.

At the center of Ally is a curious and endearing piglet squid named Ally, who lives in the uncharted depths of the South Pacific Ocean. Unlike typical underwater stories, the narrative focuses on her dream of seeing the sun and becoming the star of a wildlife documentary, a whimsical but emotionally resonant starting point.

Ally’s peaceful world is disrupted when a mysterious aircraft crashes into the ocean, setting off an extraordinary journey that challenges her and her unlikely companions to rise toward the surface and confront the broader world above.

This setup blends adventure, environmental curiosity, and human-creature interaction in ways that echo Bong’s thematic concerns with connection, transformation, and empathy.

The film’s official descriptions emphasize its exploration of friendship and courage, with encounters between humans and deep-sea creatures reshaping both worlds. The narrative ambitions, including visuals described as “visually stunning underwater worlds and epic action sequences”, highlight a balance of spectacle and emotional depth in a “family adventure” format.

Ally is a truly international co-production, involving creative talent and production partners from 12 countries. Notable contributors include:

• CJ ENM, Penture Invest and Pathé – financing and distribution partners responsible for global rollout.
  
• Barunson C&C – production oversight, led by producer Seo Woo-sik, who has previously collaborated with Bong on Mother and Okja.
  
• Animation Supervisor Jae Hyung Kim, whose credits include Toy Story 4 and Inside Out.
  
• Supervising Producer David Lipman (Shrek franchise) and Production Designer Marcin Jakubowski (Klaus), bringing top-tier experience to the project.
  
• DNEG Animation, the studio known for high-end 3D work on Inception and Dune, contributing technical expertise to the film’s visuals.
  

Distribution is being structured regionally: Pathé will handle key European and African markets, while CJ ENM and Penture are responsible for Asia and other territories.

Production on Ally is expected to wrap in the first half of 2027, with a worldwide theatrical release later that year. While no specific release date has been announced, the project is widely anticipated as a highlight of the 2027 animation slate.

Given Bong’s track record, especially Parasite, which became a historic Oscar winner, expectations for Ally extend beyond standard animated fare, with critics and fans alike speculating on its potential awards trajectory and artistic impact.