Mumbai, September 2026: The India release of the highly anticipated Korean sci-fi thriller HOPE, earlier scheduled to release in cinemas on September 25, 2026, has been deferred and is now tentatively eyeing an October theatrical release.
The film has received its CBFC certificate for the English version without any cuts, while the certification process for its Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and other dubbed versions is currently underway. In view of the ongoing certification process, Star Entertainment, the film’s official distributor in India, has decided to defer the September 25 release to allow sufficient time for the requisite certifications to be completed. The final theatrical release date will be announced shortly.
The certification for the English version comes in line with the film’s international theatrical rollout, where HOPE has released without cuts in markets released so far. The film’s worldwide release continues through November 2026, with the film opening in the UK, Sweden, Switzerland and Ireland this week, followed by releases in Argentina, Germany, France and Spain in October, among other international markets.
The film has also registered a strong theatrical performance in the United States, having crossed USD 7 million in its US rollout, making it the highest-grossing Korean film in the US, according to its international box-office performance.
Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Na Hong-jin, known for The Chaser, The Yellow Sea and The Wailing, HOPE is an ambitious sci-fi thriller set in a remote port town where the discovery of an unidentified object triggers a mysterious and dangerous chain of events.
The film features an ensemble cast comprising Hwang Jung-min, Jo In-sung, Jung Ho-yeon, Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander and Taylor Kitsch, bringing together leading names from Korean and international cinema.
With its genre-defying premise, large-scale production and an ensemble that bridges Korean and international cinema, HOPE has generated significant anticipation among Indian audiences and film enthusiasts. The film is set to release in India in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Korean, with the revised October release date to be announced following completion of the ongoing certification process.
