James R | On 14, Jan 2021

Snowpiercer returns to Netflix UK this month, and a new trailer gives us a fresh look at Season 2.

The show, which is based on the 2013 sci-fi movie by Bong Joon-ho, takes place seven years after the world has become a frozen wasteland, with all remaining life lives aboard the massive titular train. 1,001 cars long, the Snowpiercer circles the globe endlessly, divided into classes, with the rich elites up front and impoverished “tailies” in the back. Snowpiercer tells the story of what happens when those who have been oppressed their whole lives decide to resist, rise up and revolt.

Season 2 picks up after Season 1’s cliffhanging finale, and introduces Sean Bean as Mr Wilford, the tycoon who created Snowpiercer in the first place.

It will premiere on 26th January on Netflix UK, with episodes released weekly within 24 hours of their US debut. Read on below for a more spoilery synopsis.

 

Watch: First trailer for Snowpiercer Season 2

10th October 2020

“One might think this is where the revolution ends, when really it’s just begun.” That’s the sound of Snowpiercer returning next year, and a new trailer from New York Comic-Con gives us a first proper taste of Season 2.

The show, which is based on the 2013 sci-fi movie by Bong Joon-ho, takes place seven years after the world has become a frozen wasteland, with all remaining life lives aboard the massive titular train. 1,001 cars long, the Snowpiercer circles the globe endlessly, divided into classes, with the rich elites up front and impoverished “tailies” in the back. Snowpiercer tells the story of what happens when those who have been oppressed their whole lives decide to resist, rise up and revolt.

“This slowed-down take on Bong Joon-ho’s sci-fi satire has cart-loads of potential,” we wrote in our review of Season 1, available on Netflix in the UK.

Spoilers for Season 1 follow

Season 2 picks up after Season 1’s cliffhanging finale, which saw Daveed Diggs’ Layton succeed in his revolt overturning the power structure on the train, collaborating with Jennifer Connelly’s train instructor Melanie. But, just as things begin to change, a second train appeared, led by the tycoon who started Snowpiercer in the first place: Mr Wilford, played by Sean Bean.

Season 2 sets up a showdown between the two, complicated by the arrival of Alexandra Cavill (Rowan Blanchard), the long-lost daughter of Melanie who has been raised by Wilford. An entirely new power struggle emerges, causing a dangerous rift as people are divided between their loyalty to Layton and to Mr Wilford, who has new technology and a game plan that keeps everyone guessing. While Layton battles Wilford for the soul of Snowpiercer, Melanie leads the charge on a shocking new discovery that could change the fate of humanity. 

Season 2 will premiere on 25th January 2021 on TNT in the US, which means you can expect it to arrive on Netflix within days of that debut, with episodes released weekly.

 

Snowpiercer Season 2: Sean Bean joins cast in first teaser

15th July 2020

Snowpiercer will officially return for a second season, and a new teaser for the show’s return confirms that Sean Bean will be on board.

The show, which is based on the 2013 sci-fi movie by Bong Joon-ho, takes place seven years after the world has become a frozen wasteland, with all remaining life lives aboard the massive titular train. 1001 cars long, the Snowpiercer circles the globe endlessly, divided into classes, with the rich elites up front and impoverished “tailies” in the back. Snowpiercer tells the story of what happens when those who have been oppressed their whole lives decide to resist, rise up and revolt.

After various production issues and a change of showrunner, Season 1 finally pulled into the station this spring, with Netflix debuting the show in the UK. Now, with the finale arriving on Netflix this week, the streaming giant has confirmed that a second season is on the way – with Sean Bean playing a key role.

Main cast members Daveed Diggs and Jennifer Connelly lead several faces reprising their roles, while Rowan Blanchard also joins the cast.

Production on the second season was halted just before they managed to film the final two episodes, so you can expect Season 2 in 2021. Here’s the video:

 

Watch: Netflix drops teaser for Snowpiercer series

12th May 2020

Snowpiercer the TV series chugs its way on to Netflix this month, and the streaming giant has dropped a new teaser giving us a proper look at the show.

Seven years after the world has become a frozen wasteland, all remaining life lives aboard the massive Snowpiercer. 1001 cars long, the Snowpiercer circles the globe endlessly, divided into classes, with the rich elites up front and impoverished “tailies” in the back. Snowpiercer tells the story of what happens when those who have been oppressed their whole lives decide to resist, rise up, and revolt.

Based on the Bong Joon-ho dystopian thriller, the series premieres on 25th May, with episodes dropping weekly on Mondays. Here’s the video:

 

Snowpiercer is available on Netflix UK, as part of an £9.99 monthly subscription.

 

Snowpiercer TV show hits Netflix UK this May

28th April 2020

The Snowpiercer TV series officially has a UK release date, with the series set to hit Netflix this May.

The show is based on the 2013 sci-fi movie by Bong Joon-ho. The Korean director’s first English-language film cost $42 million to made – one of the most expensive projects in Korea’s history. It ultimately was never released in UK cinemas, eventually arriving on iTunes and other video on-demand platforms last year, followed by Netflix. It will now be released officially on Blu-ray and DVD on 25th May.

On the same day, the small screen adaptation will officially debut on Netflix UK. Set seven years after the world has become a frozen wasteland, Snowpiercer centres on the remnants of humanity, who inhabit a gigantic, perpetually-moving train that circles the globe. Class warfare, social injustice and the politics of survival are all questioned over course of the journey.

Jennifer Connelly and Daveed Diggs star in the series, alongside Alison Wright (The Accountant), Mickey Sumner (American Made), Katie McGuinness (Dirty Filthy Love), Susan Park (Ghostbusters), Lena Hall (All My Children), Annalise Basso (Bedtime Stories), Sam Otto (Jellyfish), Sheila Vand (Argo), Roberto Urbina (Narcos) and Sasha Frolova (The Interestings).

The show was set to premiere on TNT in the USA on 31st May 2020, but was then brought forward to release early on 17th May. Episode 1 will arrive on Netflix UK on Monday 25th May, with episodes then dropping weekly on Mondays, eight days after their broadcast.

 

Snowpiercer the TV series is available on Netflix UK, as part of an £9.99 monthly subscription, from 25th May 2020.

 

Snowpiercer TV series gets a trailer and release date

16th January 2020

The Snowpiercer TV series finally has a US release date, and a new trailer to boot.

The show is based on the 2013 sci-fi movie by Bong Joon-ho. The Korean director’s first English-language film cost $42 million to made – one of the most expensive projects in Korea’s history. It ultimately was never released in UK cinemas, eventually arriving on iTunes and other video on-demand platforms last year, followed by Netflix.

The TV show has had almost as long a wait. Set seven years after the world has become a frozen wasteland, ‪Snowpiercer‬ centres on the remnants of humanity, who inhabit a gigantic, perpetually-moving train that circles the globe. Class warfare, social injustice and the politics of survival are all questioned over course of the journey.

Jennifer Connelly and Daveed Diggs star in the series, alongside Alison Wright (‪The Accountant‬), Mickey Sumner (American Made), Katie McGuinness (Dirty Filthy Love), Susan Park (‪Ghostbusters‬), Lena Hall (All My Children), Annalise Basso (Bedtime Stories), Sam Otto (Jellyfish), Sheila Vand (Argo), Roberto Urbina (Narcos) and Sasha Frolova (The Interestings).

Behind the camera, though, has been a far from smooth ride. Award-winning writer and producer Graeme Manson (Orphan Black) is the showrunner and also serves as executive producer along with Scott Derrickson (‪Doctor Strange‬), Matthew O’Connor (Continuum) and the original film’s Bong Joon Ho, Park Chan-wook, Lee Tae-hun and Dooho Choi. He replaced Josh Friedman, who exited the project in 2018, after a pilot was made.

Yesterday, during the TCA winter press tour, Manson spoke about how and why it took so long to bring the project to fruition.

“It had a long birth,” he commented. “It’s a really great property, I’m a huge fan of director Bong (Joon Ho)’s movie and huge fan of the graphic novels, and it took a long time to get it right and we got it right.”

In there anything left from the original pilot?

“I don’t think there’s any,” he added. “I think there’s a little piece of a special effects set piece, but it was a full rebirth of the series. When I came on, I pitched a different world.”

As for whether Wilford, the magnate played by Ed Harris in the movie, would appear, Manson simply commented: “TBD.”

The series premieres on TNT on 31st May, which means you can expect it arrive on Netflix UK shortly after – and for that date to be confirmed very soon.

In the meantime, here’s the first trailer:

 

Snowpiercer series to premiere on Netflix in the UK

25th July 2018

Netflix will be the exclusive UK TV home of Snowpiercer the series.

The show is based on the 2013 sci-fi movie by Bong Joon-ho. The Korean director’s first English-language film cost $42 million to made – one of the most expensive projects in Korea’s history – but has never been released in UK cinemas or on DVD. With fans instead choosing to import DVDs to be able to view it, the chances of distributor ever investing in a British release have diminished to almost zero, with the only hope lying in Netflix’s relationship with Bong Joon-ho, whose Okja was a Netflix original. Now, we’ve got the next best thing, as the streaming giant has boarded the long-mooted TV series inspired by the film.

Set seven years after the world has become a frozen wasteland, ‪Snowpiercer‬ centres on the remnants of humanity, who inhabit a gigantic, perpetually-moving train that circles the globe. Class warfare, social injustice and the politics of survival are all questioned over course of the journey.

Jennifer Connelly and Daveed Diggs star in the series, alongside Alison Wright (‪The Accountant‬), Mickey Sumner (American Made), Katie McGuinness (Dirty Filthy Love), Susan Park (‪Ghostbusters‬), Lena Hall (All My Children), Annalise Basso (Bedtime Stories), Sam Otto (Jellyfish), Sheila Vand (Argo), Roberto Urbina (Narcos) and Sasha Frolova (The Interestings).

‪Snowpiercer is a co-production of Tomorrow Studios, a partnership between Marty Adelstein and ITV Studios, and Turner’s Studio T. The series is executive produced by Tomorrow Studios’ Marty Adelstein (Aquarius, Prison Break, Teen Wolf) and Becky Clements (Good Behavior, Aquarius, Last Man Standing).‬

Award-winning writer and producer Graeme Manson (Orphan Black) is the showrunner and also serves as executive producer along with Scott Derrickson (‪Doctor Strange‬), Matthew O’Connor (Continuum) and the original film’s Bong Joon Ho, Park Chan-wook, Lee Tae-hun and Dooho Choi.

James Hawes will serve as director and co-executive producer.

The series will debut on TNT in the US. Through a deal with ITV Studios Global Entertainment, Netflix will premiere the series outside of the US and China in 2019.

 

Netflix to produce Bong Joon Ho’s new film, as Snowpiercer heads to TV

12th November

Netflix will produce the new film from director Bong Joon Ho, while Snowpiercer heads to the small screen.

Okja, which stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Tilda Swinton, Paul Dano and Bill Nighy, is one of the first Asian productions backed by the streaming giant. Indeed, while Netflix has previously produced original series Marco Polo, which was shot in Malaysia, and is preparing to release Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon 2, the VOD company is actively looking to diversify its slate of content to match its target audiences – something that Okja, with Netflix eyeing up a Korea launch, would help to achieve.

Netflix will invest $50 million in the movie, according to The Hollywood Reporter, placing the project just behind the $60 million for Brad Pitt military satire, War Machine, announced by Netflix earlier this year.

It follows the “warm friendship” between a girl and the titular creature, which Bong describes as “a bulky animal, but with a mild and kind spirit”.

“To me, the crazy world surrounding Okja and the girl looks more like a monster. I want to depict the two characters’ bizarre journey and adventure across the tough world in an original fashion,” he is quoted as saying by Variety.

Auditions are currently underway for an actor to play the young girl.

“It really is a fantastic opportunity for me as a filmmaker,” Bong said in a statement. “For Okja, I needed a bigger budget than I had for Snowpiercer and also complete creative freedom. Netflix offered me the two conditions that are difficult to have in hand simultaneously.”

Snowpiercer, Bong’s first English-language film, cost $42 million to made – one of the most expensive projects in Korea’s history. In the US, the movie was distributed by the Weinstein Company, who have a reputation for re-cutting international pictures for American audiences, but it has famously never been released in the UK. With a number of fans choosing to import DVDs to be able to view it in its original form, the chances of distributor investing in a cinema release have diminished, which would leave the film facing either a future on VOD or DVD. Could Snowpiercer eventually arrive on Netflix to go with Bong’s new film? It is not outside of the realms of possibility.

But the news arrives as Snowpiercer finds a new lease of life on the small screen, with Marty Adelstein’s Tomorrow Studios optioning the rights to develop the 2013 sci-fi into a TV series.

Josh Friedman (War Of The Worlds) is attached to write the show, which would be set, like the film, in a post-apocalyptic ice age where the remaining remnants of human civilisation survive on a train that traverses the globe, with the rich people in the front carriages and the poor in the rear.

The series will be executive produced by Bong and Dooho Choi, along side Adelstein, Friedman and Tomorrows’ Becky Clements.

Okja, meanwhile, is far from Weinstein hands: the project will be co-produced by Plan B Entertainment, Brad Pitt’s production company, which has teamed with Netflix already on War Machine and also produced World War Z and 12 Years a Slave.

“Plan B Entertainment has also produced bold and daring films,” added Bong. “I expect the adventurousness of Plan B to blend with ‘Okja’.”

Production on the movie is set to start in late 2016, with a release scheduled for 2017.

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