Magnolia Pictures Picks Up Rights to ‘Squid Game’ Star Lee Jung-jae’s Directorial Debut ‘Hunt’

Magnolia Pictures announced Monday that it has acquired the North American rights to “Hunt,” a Korean espionage action film that is the directorial debut of “Squid Game” star Lee Jung-jae.

“Hunt” premiered at this year’s Cannes Film Festival in the Midnight section and follows two Korean Central Intelligence agents tasked with finding a mole within the agency and who uncover a plot to assassinate the country’s president. Jung-jae directed, wrote and produced the movie and stars alongside “Squid Game” co-star Heo Sung-tae.

“Lee Jung-jae has delivered a wild ride of a film.” said Magnolia President Eamonn Bowles “It’s filled
with action sequences of the highest order that are guaranteed to thrill audiences.”

Lee Jung-jae earned international fame for his work in “Squid Game” as Seong Gi-hun, a chauffeur and compulsive gambler who enters the titular, deadly Squid Game in the hopes of winning millions to pay for his mother’s medical bills and his own gambling debts. He received an Emmy nomination for his role in the Netflix series, one of 14 that “Squid Game” has earned including Outstanding Drama Series.

Magnolia EVP Dori Begley and SVP of Acquisitions John Von Thaden negotiated the acquisition from MegaboxJoongang Plus M with CAA Media Finance repping the filmmakers. Magnolia will release the film this December after a gala screening at the Toronto International Film Festival in September.