[Focus+] Marvel, Tom-hyung, Ma Dong-seok, Cannes... The Film Industry Excited for May

Photo by Walt Disney Company Korea, Lotte Entertainment, ABO Entertainment

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[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Iseul] Will the film industry finally smile in May? Riding the warm spring breeze, several new releases will hit theaters. The Cannes International Film Festival and Jeonju International Film Festival, which were held normally last year, are also expected to be quite sizable. This year, many filmmakers are expected to visit the venues to inject vitality.

May is Marvel's month, and as always, Marvel movies will be screened in theaters. Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films have topped the box office eight times in May alone from 2008 until before the pandemic, enjoying great popularity. Several films have also surpassed 10 million viewers. This year opens with "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" (hereafter "Doctor Strange 2"). Released on May 4, the film depicts the first-ever endless dimensional rift and tangled space-time in the MCU within a multiverse of unimaginable madness. Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen), an Avenger member, goes berserk with dark powers within the multiverse rift and is reborn as the powerful Scarlet Witch. Benedict Cumberbatch reprises his lead role, and Sam Raimi, who directed the "Spider-Man" trilogy, takes the helm.

Tom is coming too. The sequel to "Top Gun," "Top Gun: Maverick," will be released on May 25. The film tells the story of Maverick (Tom Cruise) returning as the top pilot and his new team members. Actor Tom Cruise dons the pilot uniform again after 34 years, performing all stunts himself without doubles, and actors including Miles Teller from "Whiplash," Glenn Powell, and Monica Barbaro participated in actual combat flights. After its premiere at this year’s Cannes International Film Festival, it will meet audiences worldwide.

The sequel to "The Outlaws," which was released on October 3, 2017, and attracted 6.88 million viewers, "The Outlaws 2," will also be released in May. Actor Ma Dong-seok returns as detective Ma Seok-do, who relentlessly takes down criminals, promising exhilarating action. The film depicts the intensified crime-sweeping operations of Detective Ma and the Geumcheon Police Station’s violent crimes unit. Son Seok-gu joins as the ultimate villain Kang Hae-sang, adding energy. Attention is on whether Ma Dong-seok’s return will restore the battered pride of Korean cinema.

Actor Lee Jung-eun, known for her impressive performances in "Parasite" and "Juvenile Justice," will light up the marquee with her first leading role in "Hommage" this May. The film is an art fantasy blockbuster depicting a cinematic time travel connecting 1962 and 2022 through a middle-aged female director who restores works by Korea’s first-generation female directors active in the 1960s. Lee Jung-eun plays the film director, and director Shin Su-won, known for portraying diverse female characters in "Madonna," "Glass Garden," and "Rainbow," directs.

The comedy film "Eobuba" also knocks on the theater doors. The film is a touching and cheerful family comedy about Jong-beom, who struggles to protect his late-born son, immature younger brother, and his alter ego, the fishing boat Eobuba. Jung Joon-ho, known for his roles in the "Glory of the Family," "Two Cops" series, and "Hitman," plays Jong-beom, the captain of the Eobuba, anchoring the story, with Choi Dae-cheol and others appearing. It will be interesting to see if the comedy genre can attract family audiences.

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Photo by Jeonju International Film Festival Secretariat

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May is also the season of Cannes. Although last year’s festival was held in summer due to the pandemic, this year it returns to the end of spring. The 75th Cannes International Film Festival will be held from May 14 to 25 in the southern French resort city of Cannes. "Broker," directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda, who won the Palme d'Or at the 71st Cannes Film Festival in 2018 with "Shoplifters," and starring Song Kang-ho, lead actor of "Parasite" (directed by Bong Joon-ho), which won the Palme d'Or the following year, is likely to be invited to the competition section. Additionally, several Korean films are expected to receive invitations to Cannes this year, including "Decision to Leave," directed by Park Chan-wook and starring Tang Wei and Park Hae-il. We will have to wait for the official announcement from the secretariat, but it is said that Cannes’ interest in domestic works and filmmakers is hotter than ever. The lineup of filmmakers walking the Cannes red carpet this year is expected to be more dazzling than ever.

The Jeonju Film Festival is also growing. Although the slogan was "The Film Continues," unlike last year’s scaled-down event due to the pandemic, this year it is expected to actively recruit domestic filmmakers. The 23rd Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF) will be held for ten days from April 28 to May 7 at five theaters and 19 screens around Jeonju. A total of 217 works from 56 countries will be invited, including 61 world premieres and 4 international premieres, attracting domestic and international guests. Over 230 films will meet audiences across 18 sections. The opening film will be "After Yang," the new work by Korean-American director Kogonada, who directed Apple TV Plus’s "Pachinko."

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