Hope is a South Korean science-fiction, action, and horror thriller directed and written by Na Hong-jin, the filmmaker behind The Chaser and The Wailing. The movie stars Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung, Hoyeon, Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander, Taylor Russell, and Cameron Britton. IMDb lists the movie with a runtime of 160 minutes (2 hours and 40 minutes).
The story takes place in the remote village of Hope Harbor. A mysterious creature appears near the village, and the local police and a group of hunters try to find it. Their search quickly becomes a fight for survival when the hunters become the hunted. The story grows from a local mystery into a much larger conflict involving fear, human survival, and an unknown threat.
Hope premiered in competition at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival and is scheduled for a U.S. theatrical release on September 9, 2026, through NEON. The official NEON page confirms the September 9 theatrical release.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Title | Hope |
| Genre | Science Fiction, Horror, Action, Thriller |
| Director/Writer | Na Hong-jin |
| Starring | Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung, Hoyeon, Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander, Taylor Russell, Cameron Britton |
| Runtime | 160 minutes |
| Age Rating | 15+ in South Korea; U.S. rating not officially announced |
| Release Date | September 9, 2026 (United States) |
| Distributor | NEON |
Hope Age Rating
Hope is rated 15+ in South Korea. The Korean Film Council lists the movie as 15 and gives its genre as science fiction, thriller, and action. A Korean report on the rating says the classification considered the movie’s themes of human fear and helplessness, extraterrestrial beings, ethical questions, death, and violent material.
For the U.S. release, Hope does not appear to have an official MPA rating yet, so a Rated R classification should be described as an expectation rather than a confirmed rating. The MPA explains that an R rating can cover adult themes, strong language, intense or persistent violence, drug use, and other mature material.
Is Hope Suitable for Kids?
Hope is not suitable for children. The movie is a long and intense science-fiction thriller with dangerous creatures, survival situations, violent action, frightening moments, and themes involving death and human helplessness.
Ages 13–15: No. The 15+ classification already indicates that the movie is aimed at older viewers. The violent creature attacks, danger, suspense, and disturbing themes may be too intense for younger teens.
Ages 16–17: With caution. Mature older teens who are comfortable with serious horror and science-fiction movies may be able to watch Hope, but parents should be aware of the movie’s long runtime and intense survival themes.
Ages 18+: Yes. Adults are the best audience for Hope, especially viewers who enjoy dark science-fiction, creature horror, action, and suspense.
Age-by-Suitability Table
| Age Group | Suitability |
|---|---|
| Ages 3-7 | No, not suitable for young children. |
| Ages 8-12 | No, not recommended for this age group. |
| Teens (13-15) | Not recommended due to violence, horror, and intense themes. |
| Teens (16-17) | Yes, with caution and parental guidance. |
| Adults | Yes, suitable for mature audiences. |
Hope Parents Guide
- Sex & Nudity: Sexual content appears to be minimal or not a major part of Hope. The movie focuses on survival, creatures, action, suspense, and science-fiction themes rather than romance or sexual situations. There is no reported emphasis on explicit sexual content or significant nudity in the available information.
- Violence & Gore: Strong violence and disturbing material are major concerns for parents. The story involves a mysterious creature attacking people, hunters trying to kill the threat, characters being hunted, and repeated life-or-death situations. The Korean rating information specifically refers to depictions involving death, bloodshed, and mutilation.
- Profanity: Strong language may be present during stressful and dangerous situations. However, the available official rating information does not provide a detailed count of profanity, so parents should expect some mature language rather than assume a specific number of uses.
- Alcohol, Drugs & Smoking: Substance use is not a central part of the story based on the available information. There is not enough verified detail to say that alcohol, drugs, or smoking are major content concerns.
- Frightening & Intense Scenes: Very intense horror and suspense are important parts of Hope. Characters are isolated from help and must face an unknown creature while trying to survive. The movie also deals with fear, helplessness, death, and an escalating conflict that becomes much larger than the original threat.
Tips for Parents
Parents should preview the trailer before allowing teenagers to watch Hope. The movie runs for about 160 minutes, and its combination of creature horror, violence, suspense, death, and disturbing themes may be too intense for younger viewers. Parents of older teens should also consider how comfortable their child is with serious horror and violent survival stories.
Hope Official Trailer
The official trailer for Hope is available through the movie’s Neon’s official YouTube Channel:-
Hope is scheduled for a U.S. theatrical release on September 9, 2026, distributed by NEON. NEON’s official movie page confirms the September 9 theatrical date.
At this time, there is no confirmed U.S. streaming date or streaming service listed by NEON. Parents should not assume that the movie will be available on a specific streaming service after its theatrical run.
FAQs
Q: What is the age rating for Hope (2026)?
Hope is officially rated 15+ in South Korea. The U.S. MPA rating has not been officially announced, so a possible R rating should not be presented as confirmed.
Q: Is Hope appropriate for kids?
Hope is not appropriate for children. The movie contains strong survival themes, creature violence, death, disturbing material, and intense suspense. The 15+ classification in South Korea also indicates that it is aimed at older viewers.
Q: Is Hope suitable for teenagers?
Hope may be suitable only for mature older teens, but younger teens should avoid it. Parents should consider the movie’s violent action, horror elements, disturbing themes, and long runtime before allowing older teenagers to watch it.
Q: Does Hope contain violence or gore?
Yes, Hope contains strong violent material involving a mysterious creature, hunting, survival situations, death, bloodshed, and mutilation. These elements were part of the reasons discussed in the Korean rating decision.
Q: How scary is Hope?
Hope is a very intense science-fiction thriller with horror elements. The story involves an unknown creature, isolated villagers, hunters who become prey, and a growing sense of fear and helplessness.
Q: Where can I watch Hope?
Hope is scheduled to open in U.S. theaters on September 9, 2026, through NEON.
Hope is best suited for adults and mature older teens, with strong parental caution for viewers under 18. Its confirmed 15+ classification, violent creature story, death-related themes, and intense suspense make it unsuitable for children.