BERLIN -- CJ Entertainment, Korea's biggest movie company, has made significant advances with two of the largest Korean projects of the year.
Company has grabbed international sales duties on "The Good, the Bad and the Weird," a Korean spaghetti Western by helmer Kim Jee-woon ("A Tale of Two Sisters"). Rights had previously been repped by Cineclick Asia.
"Oldboy" helmer Park Chan-wook and CJ have finally settled on a title and a schedule for his long-awaited vampire film. Pic will now be called "Thirst" and will start a marathon nine-month shoot beginning in March.
Story finds Korea's leading man, Song Kang-ho ("The Host," "Sympathy for Mister Vengeance"), as a much-loved priest who becomes a vampire after a failed medical experiment; he becomes a tortured and depraved soul. Title refers to a craving for sex, blood and love. CJ is pitching the pic as a love story with horror and drama.
"Weird" finally wrapped last week after a troubled shoot in China that took production over schedule and over its $11 million budget. Producer Barunson turned to CJ for fresh coin and local distribution.
Kim is now hurrying to complete the pic, which boasts three of Korea's top actors -- Song, Lee Byung-hoon ("Oldboy") and Jung Woo-sun ("Musa the Warrior") -- in time for a Cannes screening and a July commercial release.
Former Cineclick topper Suh Young-joo has now struck out on her own with new indie shingle Fine Cut (Variety Berlin Show Daily, Day 1.)
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