By Pierce Conran
Deadline has just broken the news that Bong Joon-ho and The Weinstein Company have finally reached on agreement on Snowpiercer. The good news is that it appears the director's cut that Bong had been fighting for has been retained. The bad news is that depending on where you live, you may not get a chance to see it.
The original sales deal for Snowpiercer's North American release, struck back in November 2012 at the American Film Market, promised a wide release. Then again, that contract did not guarantee final cut so the result, after lawyers reportedly got involved a few months ago, is this compromise.
Snowpiercer will go on platform release in the US, which means it will begin in select markets, such as NY and LA, and gradually roll out depending on its success. This means a wide release is possible, provided the film opens well and gains traction in subsequent cities. Deadline states the film isn't being 'dumped' and of course The Weinstein Company have plenty at stake in the film's success, but it is unclear what kind of a marketing push they will give it.
Bong's film was initially released in Korea in August and has played in a handful of other markets, but the long delay for its stateside release has perhaps taken some of the wind out of its sails. A release date has yet to be revealed and it is unclear how wide the film's release will be in other English language territories. However, I imagine that at least in the UK it will be afforded more booking, if only for the presence of big UK stars.
Meanwhile, Snowpiercer will be having a gala screening later today at the Berlin International Film Festival, check out MKC's coverage of the fest here.
Reviews and features on Korean film appear regularly on Modern Korean Cinema. For film news, external reviews, and box office analysis, take a look at the Korean Box Office Update, Korean Cinema News and the Weekly Korean Reviews, which appear weekly on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings (Korean Standard Time).
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