In an announcement by Showbox Mediaplex Co. on Tuesday, 20th Century Fox has agreed to co-finance its upcoming thriller film “The Murderer”. Not only will this be the first Korean-made movie to receive a direct investment from a major Hollywood movie company, it will also be the first time Fox has co-financed a Korean movie. In a press release this week, Showbox announced that aside from Fox, the movie is also backed by the Korean entertainment agency Wellmade Star M and co-produced by Popcorn Films. Fox executives were impressed by Na Hong-jin’s 2008 internationally acclaimed film “The Chaser”, which was picked by Warner Bros for a US remake. According to Sanford Panitch, Fox International Productions president, “From the moment we saw Chaser, we pursued Na Hong-jin and wanted to be a part of his next film,” He also added, “That we could reprise the marvelous Chaser cast for this project was equally exciting. Na Hong-jin has a big future.”
As part of the contract, Fox will retain the rights take part of any English remake of the film with Na directing any Hollywood remake. Fox will also be a participant to any other sequels or remakes of the film. The movie was also granted the Hong Kong Asian Film Financing Forum’s HAF Award in 2009 and was pre-sold to Wild Side, a French distributor. Even though the exact figures were not officially disclosed, Showbox has estimated the film’s budget to range from $7 to $8 million.
“The Murderer” will reunite Na with “The Chaser” stars Ha Jeong-woo and Kim Yoon-seok. The movie is about a young man, played by Ha, who travels from China to Korea to settle a debt by killing someone. He ends up being chased by a professional assassin played by Kim. The movie is scheduled to be released in the second half of this year
