Korea‘s Showbox is launching international sales at the Cannes Market for “Colony,” the latest high-concept thriller from “Train to Busan” director Yeon Sang-ho.
Currently in production and slated for a 2026 release, the action thriller depicts a biotechnology conference that descends into chaos when a rapidly mutating virus transforms the infected, forcing authorities to seal off the facility with survivors trapped inside.
“Colony” features an ensemble cast headed by Gianna Jun, internationally known for her roles in “Kingdom: Ashin of the North” and “Assassination.” She stars alongside Koo Kyo-hwan (“Escape,” “Parasyte: The Grey”), Ji Chang-wook (“Revolver,” “The Worst of Evil”) and Shin Hyun-been (“Revelations,” “Reborn Rich”).
With its tagline “As the virus spreads, the order begins to mutate,” “Colony” appears to blend the biological horror elements that made “Train to Busan” a breakout hit with a confined thriller setting.
The film is being produced by Wowpoint and Smilegate in association with Midnight Studio, with Showbox handling international distribution. It continues Showbox’s tradition of bringing high-concept Korean genre films to global audiences.
The Cannes sales launch comes on the heels of Showbox’s robust lineup at Hong Kong FilMart, where the company recently added “Taboo: The Silent Day,” a horror mystery from first-time director Park Kyung-kun. Shot in Indonesia with a Korean cast and crew, the film follows friends whose Bali vacation turns nightmarish after they break a mysterious urn during Nyepi Day, Bali’s sacred Day of Silence.
Showbox’s diverse slate also includes financial crisis drama “Big Deal” starring Lee Je-hoon, romantic drama “Once We Were Us” featuring Koo Kyo-hwan and Mun Ka-young, Indonesian-Korean co-production “The Verdict,” and the mystery thriller “White Blast” starring Kim Yun-seok and Koo Kyo-hwan, who also appears in “Colony.”