Director Yeon Sang-ho’sTrain to Busanoffered audiences a thrilling zombie apocalypse film with an emotional core and relevant social commentary. Now, the Korean filmmaker is returning to the same universe asTrain to Busanwith a standalone sequel titledPeninsulaand a new extended sneak preview offers audiences a glimpse at a thrilling rescue sequence from the anticipated film.
Released in 2016,Train to Busancentered on a group of passengers as they try to survive a contained horde of their fellow travelers who have become infected with a disease that brings upon a zombie apocalypse. In addition to becoming a global box office hit with a worldwide gross of $98.5 million,Train to Busanreceived acclaim and accolades for its unique take onthe zombie genreand three-dimensional cast of characters. Sang-ho continued to explore theTrain to Busanuniverse with an animated prequel titledSeoul Stationand his second feature in the franchise,Peninsula, will make its U.S. theatrical debut in August before being available on Shudder in 2021.
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During an interview with Syfy Wire, Sang-ho explained that his desire to return to theBusanuniverse stems from the ideas he developed while location scouting for the original film. “I visited many closed train stations like the one in the movie. The closed train stations were neglected and in ruins, and I thought it was very beautiful,” he said. “AfterTrain toBusan, I talked a lot about a post-apocalyptic backdrop with the staff who accompanied me to those sites. That’s when I start thinking that if we ever made a sequel toTrain to Busan, I wanted to create a backdrop of a post-apocalyptic and ruined Korea.”
Set four yearsafter the original film,Train to Busan Presents: Peninsulafollows a soldier named Jung-seok as he embarks on a mission into the wasteland to save others trying to get away from the zombies, but the new sneak preview reveals that he may be the one in need of rescuing after he crosses paths with a group of survivors who arrive just as he appears to be surrounded by the infected.
After being released in South Korea on July 15,Train to Busan Presents: Peninsulawill debut in the United States as the country and the rest of the world is in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. While Sang-ho admitted he was concerned about the potential for negative reactions from audiences whograppling with a real outbreak, he also felt the themes ofPeninsulawould resonate more than it would have in a pre-COVID world. “I feel that fate exists in the movie and I also feel that it is the fate ofPeninsulato be released and meet the audience in this environment. And because the theme ofPeninsulais about how people can find hope in an isolated and frustrating world, the audiences are able to sympathize with it,” Sang-ho told Syfy Wire.
While some are growing tired of the seemingly endless stream ofzombie television shows, films, and video games,Train to Busanwas commended for expanding on the tropes associated with the genre. How American audiences will respond toPeninsulamight very well depend on the route of the story. While it would be understandable if most moviegoers weren’t keen on watching a pandemic unfold, a hopeful ending in theTrain to Busansequel might just be what audiences need to lift their spirits in these trying times.
Train to Busan Presents: Peninsulawill be released in U.S. theaters on July 16, 2025.
