WELCOM TO NETFLIX’S NEXT BIG PROJECT: OKJA…

That is one, giant eye you have there!

Cast your mind’s eye back to last year, folks, when in Seoul, South Korea (April 23, 2016) That was when Netflix announced that principal photography began yesterday on its feature film Okja in Seoul, South Korea. From director Bong Joon Ho (Snowpiercer, The Host, Mother), Okja is produced by Plan B, Lewis Pictures and Kate Street Picture Company, and stars Tilda Swinton (Hail, Caesar!, Moonrise Kingdom), Jake Gyllenhaal (Nightcrawler, Everest) and Paul Dano (Love & Mercy, 12 Years a Slave) in a bold, global adventure.

“With Okja I want to show the beauty that can exist between man and animal, and also the horror between them,” said Director Bong.

Okja was written by Bong and Jon Ronson (Frank) and follows Mija, a young girl who must risk everything to prevent a powerful, multi-national company from kidnapping her best friend – a massive animal named ‘Okja’. Mija will be played by Seohyun An.

“Shout louder, Steven, I can’t hear you from below!” Lily Collins screams while staning on a concrete bollard.

The impressive cast includes Tilda Swinton, Jake Gyllenhaal, Paul Dano, Giancarlo Esposito and newcomer Seo Hyun An.

This grand global adventure follows a friendship too big to ignore. Meet Mija, a young girl who risks everything to prevent a powerful, multi-national company from kidnapping her best friend – a massive animal named Okja. Following her across continents, the coming-of-age comedy drama sees Mija’s horizons expand in a way one never would want for one’s children, coming up against the harsh realities of genetically modified food experimentation, globalization, eco-terrorism, and humanity’s obsession with image, brand and self-promotion.

We also get a close-up glimpse of the massive animal Okja. There’s still a lot we don’t know about the story, but this teaser certainly sets up the mystery and intrigue of it. I definitely want to see more!

Joining the cast are acclaimed actors from around the world, including Devon Bostick (The 100), Lily Collins (To The Bone), Byun Heebong (The Host), Shirley Henderson (Anna Karenina), Daniel Henshall (The Babadook), Yoon Je Moon (Mother), Choi Wooshik (Set Me Free) and Steven Yeun (The Walking Dead). Okja will be shot in South Korea, Canada and the US, in English and Korean.

Netflix has got some great looking films coming out! Okja will premiere exclusively on Netflix June 28.