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The Hindu
25-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
‘No Other Choice' teaser: Park Chan-wook's Venice-premiering thriller drops first look
South Korean director Park Chan-wook's new film No Other Choice is set to make its world premiere at the 2025 Venice International Film Festival. Ahead of the debut, distributor Neon has unveiled the film's first teaser trailer, offering a glimpse of Park's return to feature filmmaking after Decision to Leave. Starring Lee Byung-hun and Son Ye-jin, the film is an adaptation of Donald E. Westlake's 1997 novel The Ax, previously adapted by Costa-Gavras. The South Korean version has been long in development, with Park initially announcing the project in 2009. Co-written with Don McKellar, No Other Choice explores themes of unemployment and class anxiety, following Man-soo (Lee), a laid-off worker who hatches a drastic plan to eliminate his job competition. Official teaser poster for NO OTHER CHOICE, the new film from master filmmaker Park Chan-wook. Coming soon. — NEON (@neonrated) July 23, 2025 The teaser reveals Park's signature visual styles that have earned him international acclaim with films like Oldboy, The Handmaiden, and Stoker. The cast also includes Park Hee-soon, Lee Sung-min, Yeom Hye-ran, and Cha Seung-won. Neon, which is handling U.S. distribution, is expected to position No Other Choice for awards contention later this year. The film could mark Park's first major breakthrough with the Academy. Despite high expectations, his previous film Decision to Leave missed out on an Oscar nomination, even after strong festival reception. Following its Venice premiere, No Other Choice will release in South Korean theaters and later in other territories, including North America. No exact release date has been announced yet.
UPI
24-07-2025
- Entertainment
- UPI
Watch: Lee Byung-hung unravels in 'No Other Choice' teaser
July 24 (UPI) -- Neon released a teaser trailer for No Other Choice, a new thriller from Oldboy and The Handmaiden director Park Chan-wook. The teaser, released Thursday, stars Squid Game actor Lee Byung-hun as a family man whose life and mental health take turns for the worse when he is laid off by a paper company. The film is an adaptation of Donald Westlake's 1997 book The Ax, which was previously adapted into Costa-Gavras' 2005 French/Dutch film The Axe. No Other Choice also stars Son Yejin, Park Hee-soon, Lee Sung-min, Yeom Hye-ran, Cha Seung-won and Yoo Yeon-seok. Neon, the film's North American distributor, previously re-released Park Chan-wook's film Oldboy in theaters in 2023.
Pink Villa
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
No Other Choice: Lee Byung Hun struggles to sustain family and Son Ye Jin's support in upcoming Park Chan Wook film
No Other Choice is a black comedy thriller movie by popular director Park Chan Wook. It is an adaptation of Donald E. Westlake's novel The Ax. Central characters Lee Byung Hun and Son Ye Jin are set to star as spouses in the upcoming movie, with both playing pivotal roles in the plot development. Giving a glimpse into that, on July 22, the production house CJ ENM dropped the first poster and trailer of the upcoming big-screen release. No Other Choice: First poster and teaser Squid Game 3 fame Lee Byung Hun is set to take on a new morally grey role in No Other Choice. He plays Man Soo, a man who gets laid off from his long-time job at a paper company and struggles to make ends meet following that. The film's trailer opens with Man Soo's intriguing dialogue, 'In the United States, they say getting fired is like 'wielding the axe.' Do you know what they say in Korea? 'You're getting your neck cut.'' It indicates Man Soo's feelings of helplessness on being unable to fend for his family. The bout of unemployment has hit him hard, making him feel like his world has come crashing down. However, he is determined to turn things back, and thus, embarks on a desperate and ruthless job hunt, even resorting to eliminating his competition. The poster shows him, his wife Mi Ri (Crash Landing on You's Son Ye Jin), their two children and the other characters in different branches of a tree. It showcases how all of them were connected to each other, even after being utterly diverse. Regarding Mi Ri's character, we know that she is a key figure in husband Man Soo's struggle to find ways of earning money. Besides Lee Byung Hun and Son Ye Jin, the other key characters featured in the poster are Seon Chul (Park Hee Soon), Beom Mo (Lee Sung Min), A Ra (Yeom Hye Ran) and Si Jo (Cha Seung Won. When will No Other Choice be released? No Other Choice will hit the theatres in September 2025. Its filming was reportedly completed in January this year. The movie was in its post-production phase in the past few months and now it is ready to grace the big screens.
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Neon Nabs Park Chan-wook's ‘No Other Choice' Comedy Thriller
Neon has reteamed with Korean director Park Chan-wook and Parasite studio CJ ENM by taking the North American rights to the violent comedy thriller No Other Choice. Korean film royalty Lee Byung-hun and Son Yejin star in the thriller about Man-soo (Lee), who is abruptly laid off by the paper company where he worked tirelessly for many years. Man-soo grows increasingly desperate in his hunt for new work, and eventually resolves to kill his job competitors. More from The Hollywood Reporter BBC Introduces News Paywall for U.S. Users Catherine Hardwicke Praises Heath Ledger, Talks 'Twilight' at Mediterrane Film Festival Masterclass Disney+ Sets July Premiere for Korean Treasure-Hunt Drama 'Low Life' Son plays Man-soo's wife, the warm-hearted Mi-ri in the latest film from Korean cinema to reflect beyond a core narrative the Asian country's underlying economic and political tensions. Chan-wook's 12th movie is an adaptation of American novelist Donald Westlake's 1996 novel The Ax. Westlake's novel was previously adapted into French by Costa Gavras as the 2005 film Le Couperet (The Ax). The ensemble cast for Chan-wook's Korean adaptation includes Park Hee-soon, Lee Sung-min, Yeom Hye-ran, Cha Seung-won, and Yoo Yeon-seok. The latest film by Chan-wook (Decision to Leave, The Handmaiden) is financed by Korean studio giant CJ ENM, which teamed with Neon on the Oscar-winning Parasite drama. Neon and Chan-wook also earlier collaborated on the re-release of Oldboy in theaters in 2023 to mark the film's 20th anniversary. No Other Choice is in post-production, and an awards season push for the Korean film is expected from Neon after its success with Parasite. The producer credits on No Other Choice are shared by Chan-wook, Back Jisun, Michèle Ray Gavras and Alexandre Gavras, with Miky Lee executive producing. The North American distribution deal was negotiated by Jason Wald for Neon and Namyoung Kim at CJ ENM. Best of The Hollywood Reporter The 40 Best Films About the Immigrant Experience Wes Anderson's Movies Ranked From Worst to Best 13 of Tom Cruise's Most Jaw-Dropping Stunts
UPI
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- UPI
Neon to release Park Chan-wook's 'No Other Choice'
1 of 5 | Park Chan-wook, seen at the 2023 Golden Globe Awards, directs "No Other Choice." File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo June 26 (UPI) -- Neon announced Thursday it will distribute South Korean director Park Chan-wook's next film, No Other Choice, in North America. Neon re-released Park's original Oldboy in theaters in 2023. No Other Choice is an adaptation of Donald Westlake's 1997 book The Ax. It is the second film adaptation following Costa-Gavras' 2005 French/Dutch film The Axe. Lee Byung-hung of Squid Game fame plays a man laid off by a paper company. In Westlake's book, the man becomes so desperate for work, he stalks his potential replacements. Son Yejin will play his wife. Park Hee-soon, Lee Sung-min, Yeom Hye-ran, Cha Seung-won and Yoo Yeon-seok also star. No Other Choice is in post-production. CJ ENM financed the project; the company also financed Neon's Oscar-winner Parasite. Westlake's other books have been adapted as the films Point Blank, Payback, Parker and more.
