Story perspectives

Neon Sets 2027 Release of Bong’s “Ally” Animated Debut

4/29/2026

Summary

Neon Releases Ally

Neon will release director Bong Joon Ho’s animated debut “Ally” in North American theaters in 2027.
Neon acquired the film after Pathé secured rights for France, Benelux, Switzerland and West Africa.
Financing comes from CJ ENM, Penture Invest and Pathé while Barunson C&C oversees production.
DNEG provides 3D CG animation for the film.
The creative team includes animator Jae Hyung Kim (Toy Story 4) and animator David Lipman (Shrek franchise).

Summary

Neon Targets Oscar

Neon and the filmmakers are positioning Ally as a contender for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
The production unites creative talent from 12 countries, underscoring broad international collaboration.
Jason Yu, who directed the 2023 horror feature Sleep, co-wrote the Ally screenplay with Bong Joon Ho.
Production designer Marcin Jakubowski, noted for Netflix’s Klaus, is shaping Ally’s visual aesthetic, which draws on real marine creatures to highlight ocean biodiversity.

Summary

Neon Secures Ally

Sarah Colvin, Neon’s vice president of acquisitions, negotiated the North American rights deal with WME for Ally.
At Cannes, Neon competes with James Gray’s Paper Tiger, Arthur Harari’s The Unknown, Cristian Mungiu’s Fjord, Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s All of a Sudden, Hirokazu Koreeda’s Sheep in the Box and Na Hong-Jin’s Hope.
Neon’s Directors’ Fortnight features Clarissa and Once Upon a Time in Harlem while screening Nicolas Winding Refn’s Her Private Hell out of competition.

Summary

Ally Shines

Parasite earned $53 million in the United States and over $250 million worldwide, while Mickey 17 generated $133 million globally against a $118 million budget.
Ally marks Bong Joon Ho, filmmaker’s sixth collaboration with Neon CEO Tom Quinn and the first joint Neon project in seven years since Parasite.
The story follows a piglet squid in the South Pacific who dreams of sunlight and faces danger when a mysterious aircraft sinks, emphasizing friendship and courage.

History

Historical Context

In 2001 DreamWorks’ Shrek won the inaugural Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, proving CGI could rival Pixar’s 1995 Toy Story, which earned $373 million worldwide. Neon follows that trend with its 2027 release of Bong Joon Ho’s Ally, seeking Oscar recognition. This mirrors the early 2000s rise of DreamWorks as a major CGI competitor to Pixar.

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Neon Releases Ally

Neon will release director Bong Joon Ho’s animated debut “Ally” in North American theaters in 2027.
Neon acquired the film after Pathé secured rights for France, Benelux, Switzerland and West Africa.
Financing comes from CJ ENM, Penture Invest and Pathé while Barunson C&C oversees production.
DNEG provides 3D CG animation for the film.
The creative team includes animator Jae Hyung Kim (Toy Story 4) and animator David Lipman (Shrek franchise).

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