The new mystery thriller movie from the director ofTrain to Busangets a U.S. release date, and the wait won’t be very long.Yeon Sang-ho turbocharged the zombie horror genre with his acclaimed 2016 release, which went on to gross $98 million on a budget of $8.5 million.
Since the breakthrough ofTrain to Busan, Yeon has tackled multiple other genres, doing the superhero moviePsychokinesis, the science-fiction filmJung_E, and the thrillerRevelations. He also found time for a sequel to his 2016 zombie action-horror classic,co-writing and directing 2020’sPeninsula.
There aren’t any zombies in Yeon’s next feature film, butThe Uglypromises to deliver thrills of a different variety,as it has reportedly landed Well Go USA as a distributor, with June 25, 2025 set as its release date(viaVariety).
Well Go USA president and CEO Doris Pfardrescher released a statement:
“The Ugly is a gripping mystery thriller that explores the dark undercurrents of family and long-buried secrets. With riveting performances from Park [Jeong-min] and Kwon [Hae-hyo] and a masterfully layered script from Yeon Sang-ho, the film is a powerful testament to the emotional and narrative depth of global cinema.”
What This Means For The Ugly
Train to Busandirector Yeon’s first theatrical feature film in five years will bow at the Toronto Film Festival, which kicks off on September 4. General audiences will get their first look just a few weeks later, as the movie hits theaters on September 26.
The Uglyis set to have some stiff competition when it releases.Leonardo DiCaprio’s newest dramaOne Battle After Anothercomes out on the same day, as does the horror sequelThe Strangers: Chapter 2.
It’s yet to be seen how wide of a releaseThe Uglywill get when it hits U.S. theaters, but it will likely see only a small roll-out, being a South Korean thriller film that will appeal mostly to arthouse audiences, and those who were captivated by Yeon’s other works, including the international hitTrain to Busan.
Our Take On The Ugly Releasing In September
Yeon has proven himself to be a master of many genres over the course of his career, while working in a variety of media, including television and graphic novels.The Uglyhappens to be an adaptation of Yeon’s own graphic novelFace, which tells the story of a blind artisan who seeks the truth about his mother’s death.
Train to Busanwas a huge international hit, and it’s unlikely thatThe Uglywill come close to matching its $98 million worldwide box office take. Indeed, Yeon has not been in the feature film game at all in recent years, putting out a pair of Netflix movies,including this year’sRevelations, while working on television in series likeHellboundandParasyte: The Grey.
The Uglymay not deliver the same hyperkinetic thrillsTrain to Busandid, and will likely not garner the same amount of international attention, but Yeon’s track-record is enough to suggest there should be plenty to be intrigued about when the movie hits American shores on September 26.
