Steven Yeun Signs On For New Netflix Film
After the death of Glenn on The Walking Dead, actor Steven Yeun has had his pick of the litter when it comes to choosing the next role.
In fact, his newest film contains a role in Bong Joon-ho’s Netflix movie, Okja.
The Walking Dead | Photo Credit AMC The South Korean director is known for films like The Host, Mother, and Memories of Murder. Bong’s most recent film, Snowpiercer, was his first English film and it was both a critical and commercial hit.
The Netflix-produced Okja should make Bong a household name.
Okja Booed, Then Standing Ovation
Okja | Photo Credit Netflix
News.com writes:
“The protests and drama surrounding Okja (and Netflix’s other forthcoming release, The Meyerowitz Stories) at Cannes may very well have helped more than hindered. The films came under fire from the French theatre owners association for their inclusion in the prestigious film festival despite Netflix’s release strategy of bypassing cinemas and going directly to a viewer’s lounge room.”
“The furore meant Cannes has changed its rules so that films without a theatrical release in France (which has a three-year lockout period post-release for streaming sites) will not be eligible from next year. It was booed at the beginning of its Cannes screening but when the end credits rolled, it was met with a four-minute standing ovation. Vindication.”
Steven Yeun Speaks About Mixed Initial Review
Okja | Photo Credit Netflix
Steven Yeun spoke about the booing at the beginning of the film. “Whenever something new enters, you always get a bit of backlash, or you run up against a wall. And right now, that wall is technology is changing and people’s appetites are changing.”
“You look at the film industry as it is right now and you’re looking at mostly really low-budget indies that never get to see the light of day beyond their festival showing, or $200 million to $400 million projects we’ve seen many times over. So now we’re missing that golden window of the great thrillers we had in the 90s, or those beautiful films that really let people understand each other more.”
“Nobody wants to see the theatre go away because that’s a beautiful experience and there is something to be said about the communal experience. But if going to the theatre is just going to see robots for the 15th time, then something’s got to change.”
