Few films have revitalised the zombie genre in recent years like Yeon Sang-ho’s Train To Busan trilogy – the central, titular film of which is an all-out nailed-on horror classic. (Last year’s follow-up Train To Busan Presents: Peninsula was big, loud fun, if not as sharp as its predecessor.) And now, Yeon is back with a new Netflix fantasy-horror series titled Hellbound, of which he’s directed all six episodes. It’s got something of a Drag Me To Hell-esque premise, set in a world where people receive messages from ‘angels’ telling them when they’re going to die. And when that time comes? They’re chased down by creatures and taken to hell.
Watch the first trailer for the series, which has just arrived ahead of episodes debuting at the Toronto International Film Festival.
If it marks Yeon’s move away from zombies (for now), it seems Hellbound finds him still leaning into his propensity for depicting societal panic – here’s the official synopsis: “In Hellbound, supernatural beings appear out of nowhere to condemn people to hell. It doesn’t matter whether these events are a blessing or a curse: a new religious group is interpreting them all as the will of the divine. What unfolds through this predicament is an intense and highly-charged story about people who must survive under conditions of utter social chaos.” The series is an adaptation of popular Korean webtoon Hell, with a cast led by Burning star Yoo Ah-in.
It’s currently unknown exactly when the full series will be arriving on Hellbound – but since its TIFF debut isn’t far off, and it would make an ideal Halloween treat, here’s hoping we won’t be waiting long.