Sequel to Action Blockbuster "Veteran" Marks First Korean Franchise Movie at Cannes

Courtesy of CJ ENM

The 77th Cannes Film Festival announced its lineup in a press conference held in Paris on Thursday, revealing that director Ryoo Seung-wan's film "I, the Executioner," also known as "Veteran 2," has been invited to the festival. The festival, scheduled to run from May 15-25, listed "I, the Executioner" in the midnight screening category, dedicated to genres like action, fantasy, horror, thriller, and noir.

This marks Ryoo Seung-wan's second invitation to Cannes, following his previous visit for his 2005 work "Crying Fist," which was featured in the director's week section. Notably, "I, the Executioner" is the first Korean franchise movie to receive an invitation to the Cannes Film Festival.
 

▲ “I, the Executioner” / Courtesy of CJ ENMThe film serves as a sequel to the 2015 action blockbuster "Veteran" and continues the story of detective Seo Do-chul, portrayed by Hwang Jung-min, nine years after the events of the first installment. Actor Jung Hae-in joins the cast as newbie detective Park Sun-woo.

For Hwang Jung-min, this will mark his fourth appearance at the prestigious film festival, following his roles in "A Bittersweet Life" (2005), "The Wailing" (2016), and "The Spy Gone North" (2018). It will be the first time for actor Jung Hae-in to attend Cannes.

Distributor CJ ENM noted that this marks their 14th invitation to Cannes since 2005, having previously showcased Korean hit movies such as "Parasite" (2019) and "Decision To Leave" (2022). "I, the Executioner" is set for release in local theaters in the second half of this year.

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Kang In sig, insig6622@naver.com