Bong Joon Ho's animated film 'Ally' lands at neon, marking reunion after 'Parasite' success

'Ally' has been in development since 2019 and represents the Oscar winning director's first venture into animation

Oscar-winning director Bong Joon Ho is officially bringing his first animated feature to audiences, with Ally securing distribution through Neon, the same studio behind his global hit Parasite.

Neon has acquired North American rights to the film, marking a major reunion between the filmmaker and the distributor that helped deliver Parasite’s historic Oscar run. The collaboration adds to a longstanding partnership, with Ally becoming one of their most anticipated joint projects yet.

Ally has been in development since 2019 and represents Bong’s first venture into animation after a career defined by genre-defying live-action films. The story centers on a curious piglet-squid creature living deep in the South Pacific Ocean, who dreams of reaching the surface and seeing the sun. Her life is disrupted when a mysterious aircraft crashes into the ocean, setting off an adventurous journey alongside a group of unlikely companions.

The film is part of a large-scale international production involving collaborators from multiple countries, with Bong co-writing the screenplay alongside director Jason Yu. The project has been described as a passion project years in the making, blending emotional storytelling with themes of friendship, courage, and the connection between humans and the natural world.

Currently in production, Ally is expected to be completed in the first half of 2027, with Neon planning a wide theatrical release later that year.

The announcement has already generated buzz, not just because of Bong’s move into animation, but also due to his track record following Parasite, which became the first non-English-language film to win Best Picture at the Oscars. With Ally, Bong is set to explore a completely new medium while continuing to push boundaries in storytelling.