When Train to Busan hit theaters in 2016, it took off in the way several high-profile projects from South Korea tend to do these days. With a passionate fanbase that both wants more from that universe, but very much not in the mood for a remake, it’s clear that the only way to appease those fans is with a follow-up. Fortunately, creator Yeon Sang-Ho knows and recognizes that there’s more to do with the world he created after last year’s fairly solid follow-up Peninsula.
Speaking to Variety about his recently released supernatural drama Hellbound (based on his and co-creator Choi Kyu-Seok’s WEBTOON comics), Sang-Ho isn’t ready to commit to anything yet, but he at least knows it’ll be another film. Because of his deal with Busan’s distributor Next Entertainment World and a belief that TV couldn’t capture the spirit of the films, he’s certain that a movie would be the best option for this fledgling series. He’s also pretty sure that it’ll have more of the spirit of that original movie. “Peninsula was a post-apocalyptic film that focused on the car chases,” he said. “The story that I’m thinking about after that would be closer to Busan, where the story will be carried out in a small and restricted space.” His hope is that once the third movie sees the light of day, they’ll all connect to and relate to one another like a trilogy is usually meant to.
The biggest things working against him is the enemy of all creatives: time and himself. “There are a lot of productions that I’m working on currently,” he reminded. In addition to Hellbound the comic, it’s possible that a second season may be in the cards, but he simply said that it would require “further discussion” with Kyu-Seok and Netflix before anything was confirmed. Either way, he knows that he’ll also have to change the way he handles all of his projects going forward. “Up until now I have been someone who’s been an individual creator. But these days I’m thinking that maybe I need to come up with a system in order to really bring all of my creative visions to life.”
Hellbound is out now on Netflix, and Train to Busan and Peninsula are both on Amazon.
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