Cash Cow MDA Funding Korean Monster Movie Sequel
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http://www.screendaily.com/territories/asia-pacific/singapores-boku-films-to-co-produce-the-host-sequel/5003777.article
ScreenDaily.com, 22 Jul 2009, Jean Noh
Singaporean production company Boku Films has signed an MOU with Korea’s Chungeorahm to co-produce and invest $5m in the Korean sequel to hit monster movie The Host.
Chungeorahm CEO Choi Yong-bae signed the deal with Boku Films head Kelvin Tong last night at the Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival (PiFan) during the Network of Asian Fantastic Films (NAFF) Singapore Spotlight event.
Also present was Kenneth Tan, head of Singapore’s Media Development Authority (MDA), which will contribute 50% or $2.5m of Boku Films’ investment.
The original The Host, directed by Bong Joon-ho, clocked up 13 million admissions on local release in 2006 and remains Korea’s top box office hit to date. It was also sold to 134 countries.
A director is yet to be announced for the sequel. Manga artist Kang Full previously worked on drafts of a script, but Choi notes that the story has been evolving past that.
The film’s projected budget is KW12bn, which when first announced last year was “in the $12m range”, but fluctuating exchange rates have brought the budget in dollar terms down to $9.6m.
“We’re pleased to be working with Boku Films and the MDA on this global co-production,” Choi Yong-bae told Screendaily. “SK Telecom has already invested funds for development and planning of the sequel, which we aim to have completed in 2010.”
Chungeorahm previously did a deal with Ning Hao’s Stoneman Films for a Chinese sequel.
“We’ll call the Korean sequel The Host 2, not to be confused with the China version, which right now we can just refer to as the Chinese sequel,” notes Choi. “I’ll be meeting with Ning Hao next month to discuss further developments.”
Boku Films has also seen a top box office hit in Singapore with The Maid and produced the award-winning Rule #1 while MDA is spearheading an initiative to make Singapore an international media hub with support for films, TV, music, games and animation.
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The movie wasn't that nice leh.
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Wooots!!! Yippie!!!!!
Its A GREAT MOVIE!!! Best korean film I had ever seen! Dont really know how to put it, but hey, many people can relate to it! ( Not to the monster, of course ). The cast and the story line was great. Gimme the Host to Transformer anytime!!
May the sequel outstrip the initial movie, and the MDA youtube rap will be forgiven!
PS:For those in the loop, the film was meant to be anti-american, drawing parallels with the monster being US, their bases on S.Korean land and their doings. But hey, I go to the movies to relax and be carried away by the plot and the storyline, no bother about satires, watch it as it is, and I am sure many would have done what the lead actor did in the face of calamity and dangers posed to their loved ones.
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This government has many great ideas in throwing Singaporean money at foreigners.
Then it will do its best to recover more money from Singaporean with the multiple brilliant ideas of new ERP gantries, increases in ERP charges, water conservation charges, higher electrical charges, revised bus fares, manipulating the COEs, and with more new creative ideas such as building new Express Ways but setting the speed limit at 70 kmh and installing expensive cameras to enforce it.
The old methods are not abandoned either, as can be seen by an increase number and frequency of Traffic Police putting up candid cameras in more creative ways to trap unsuspecting Singaporeans hurrying about to make ends meet.
How many Singaporean businesses will benefit ?
How many Singaporeans will be employed as extras if and when the Korean movie set come to Singapore to cut any local scenes ?
How big will the spin off in benefits can Singapore get from this "investment" that the IDA has made to the Koreans ?
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International media hub? The new hype after Life Sciences and renewable energy.
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Hoping on another bubble.