Michael Fassbender and Oscar winner Alicia Vikander are playing aliens in a Korean sci-fi monster movie, and the casting story is unusual.
The film is called Hope, directed by South Korean director Na Hong-jin. Fassbender and Vikander are joined by Taylor Russell as antagonistic extraterrestrials.
Vikander was the driving force behind the casting. According to insiders, the Swedish actress attended the Busan Film Festival and learned of the project. She was captivated by Na Hong-jin's vision and decided to join — then convinced Fassbender to come along.
"Alicia told me to do it," Fassbender revealed. When your Oscar-winning spouse believes in a project, you listen.
The couple married in 2023 and have kept their professional lives separate until now. This marks a rare on-screen collaboration between them.
Na Hong-jin's Korean monster movies are known for visceral intensity and intricate world-building. Hope premiered at Cannes, suggesting this is not a typical alien invasion film.
Fassbender's move from prestige dramas into sci-fi shows his range and his trust in Vikander's instincts.
