Back in April, Korean media was reporting that Park Chan-wook was working on a new film, this one titled ‘The Ax’, a remake of Costa-Gavras’ French film of the same name, which Park has been trying to direct for many years. Here’s the synopsis:
Bruno loved his job as a middle manager at a paper company, but optimistically views being laid off as an opportunity. After two years of searching for a comparable position, the optimism turns to desperation. His wife, Marlene, is working two jobs, and their marriage is deteriorating as their hold on the middle class slips away. Bruno concocts a grimly audacious plan to identify and kill his fellow job applicants so that he is the only qualified person left.
Now we have more details about the film. An August production start is expected, and the cast will include Cha Seung Won, Park Hee Soon, Yoon Ga Yi, Lee Byung Hun and Son Ye Jin. Notably, Lee already teamed up with Park on 2000’s “Joint Security Area” and 2004’s “Three Extremes.” Meanwhile, Cha was in “Oldboy.”
The film, described as Park’s “lifelong passion project”, will be his first outing since 2022’s acclaimed “Decision to Leave.” He’s also co-creator, writer and directing the first three episodes of the upcoming HBO limited series “The Sympathizer.”
Park, 60, is the Korean mastermind behind “Oldboy,” “The Handmaiden” “Decision to Leave” and “Lady Vengeance.” His films, usually set in thriller or noir territory, delve deeply into the physical and/or psychological violence of its characters. Park loves sex and murder.