If you reached the end of Na Hong-jin’s HOPE and immediately wondered whether there is a sequel, you are definitely not alone.
The movie runs for about 160 minutes, introduces an enormous science-fiction world, raises major questions about its mysterious creatures — and then leaves a surprising amount unexplained.
That has led to one particularly persistent question:
Is HOPE the first movie in a trilogy?
The short answer is:
No official HOPE trilogy has been confirmed.
But the longer answer is much more interesting.
Na Hong-jin has additional story material, a continuation has been discussed, and even the director admits that audiences keep asking him about what comes next.
Will HOPE Have a Sequel?
This is the biggest question surrounding HOPE right now.
The short answer is:
A sequel has not been officially confirmed yet, but Na Hong-jin has already developed additional story material and has openly discussed the possibility of continuing the story.
So if you’re wondering whether HOPE will get a sequel, the possibility is very real — but it is important to separate what the director wants to do from what has officially been approved for production.
Na has explained that HOPE began with a much larger story than what audiences ultimately see in the film. He has also discussed different possibilities for how that story could continue.
That could mean HOPE 2.
It could potentially become a larger multi-film story.
Or the first movie could ultimately remain the only film.
For now, there is no confirmed release date for HOPE 2, and viewers should not treat a sequel as guaranteed.
But the amount of additional story material — combined with the unanswered questions left by the movie — explains why so many viewers are already asking:
Will there be a sequel to HOPE?
To understand where the idea of a sequel — and especially a trilogy — came from, we need to look at what Na Hong-jin has actually said about his plans.
Is HOPE Officially a Trilogy?
No.
Na Hong-jin directly addressed the trilogy rumors after HOPE premiered at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival.
According to the director, there has been no official announcement establishing HOPE as a trilogy.
He explained that the filmmakers had discussed several possibilities among themselves.
The story could potentially continue across three films.
It could become two films.
Or HOPE could remain the only movie.
That distinction is important because online discussion can easily turn “a trilogy was considered” into “HOPE is a confirmed trilogy.”
Those are not the same thing.
As of now, the safest description is:
HOPE has a larger story behind it, but a three-film franchise is not officially confirmed.
So Why Does HOPE Feel Like the Beginning of Something Bigger?
This is where the story becomes fascinating.
Na Hong-jin has revealed that the original screenplay was extremely long.
In fact, the material was substantial enough that the script was physically divided into two books labeled Part 1 and Part 2.
That helped fuel speculation that HOPE had always been designed as the beginning of a multi-film series.
But Na has offered a different explanation.
His goal was to compress a much larger narrative into one movie.
Instead of explaining every piece of the story directly, he deliberately left clues and traces that would allow audiences to imagine what exists outside the film.
That explains a lot about the unusual structure of HOPE.
The movie often feels as though we are seeing only one section of a much larger event.
Na Hong-jin Believes HOPE Can Stand Alone
Here is where the director and some viewers appear to disagree.
Na Hong-jin has said that he considers the essential story to be contained within HOPE.
From his perspective, audiences should be able to infer much of the larger narrative from the information already inside the film.
The problem?
Many viewers apparently did not feel that way.
After the Cannes premiere, Na said people repeatedly asked him whether there would be a sequel.
That reaction later became familiar among Korean audiences as well.
Viewers walked out wondering whether what they had just watched was really the entire story.
That gap between the director’s intention and the audience’s experience may be one of the most interesting things about HOPE.
There Really Is More Story
Although a trilogy is not confirmed, the possibility of continuing HOPE is not simply fan speculation.
Na Hong-jin has developed additional story material and has spoken publicly about wanting to continue the world if circumstances allow.
That changes how some of the unanswered questions in the first movie can be interpreted.
They may not simply be mysteries created for ambiguity.
Some may belong to a larger narrative that Na has already imagined beyond the events of HOPE.
But there is an important distinction:
Having another story does not mean another movie is guaranteed.
Film sequels depend on financing, schedules, cast availability, distribution and the commercial performance of the first movie.
Until another film officially enters production, viewers should treat it as a planned continuation rather than a guaranteed release.
Why the Ending Has Created So Much Confusion
This also helps explain one of the funniest recurring reactions to HOPE in Korea.
Some viewers have compared the experience to watching a very long trailer for an even bigger movie.
It sounds like an insult, but it actually describes the structural issue quite well.
The movie introduces:
A mysterious extraterrestrial presence.
Questions about the creatures and their motivations.
A much larger world beyond the village.
Events that appear connected to something far greater than the immediate conflict.
And several mysteries that remain open when the credits roll.
For viewers expecting all of those elements to converge into a conventional blockbuster ending, the experience can feel incomplete.
For viewers comfortable with open-ended storytelling, those same unanswered questions can make the world more intriguing.
The Original Script Helps Explain Everything
Knowing that Na Hong-jin began with a much larger narrative makes HOPE easier to understand as a creative project.
The film is not necessarily missing a story.
It may contain too much story to explain conventionally within one movie.
Na chose compression.
Instead of giving the audience long explanations about every character, creature and event, he provides fragments.
The audience has to connect them.
That is a risky approach in a 160-minute science-fiction blockbuster.
It can create mystery.
It can also create frustration.
And HOPE has clearly produced both.
Is HOPE 2 Confirmed?
Not yet in the sense that audiences should expect a guaranteed release date.
There is a major difference between a director having written or developed a continuation and a studio officially producing and scheduling a sequel.
At this stage, what we can confidently say is:
Na Hong-jin wants the story to continue.
There is material for that continuation.
But the exact format — sequel, two-part story, trilogy or no additional movie at all — should not be presented as settled fact.
That may change quickly if the film performs strongly internationally.
Its U.S. release could therefore matter for more than just the first movie.
Why a Second Movie Could Change How We See HOPE
This may be the most interesting possibility.
Imagine watching HOPE today and feeling frustrated because important pieces seem to be missing.
Then imagine a second film revealing information that completely changes the meaning of scenes in the first movie.
Suddenly, moments that looked incomplete could become setup.
Characters whose behavior seemed mysterious could make sense.
Details hidden in the background could become important.
That does not automatically make the first movie’s storytelling successful.
A movie still has to work for the audience watching it today.
But it does mean that our understanding of HOPE may not be finished.
Should You Wait for a Sequel Before Watching HOPE?
No.
Whatever happens next, HOPE is currently presented as its own film.
It competed at Cannes as a 160-minute feature and Na Hong-jin himself believes the story contains enough information for viewers to understand its larger narrative.
Just be prepared for one thing:
Do not expect every question to receive a clear answer before the credits roll.
If unresolved mysteries frustrate you, that may be the biggest warning to know before watching.
If you enjoy leaving a theater with theories and questions, it may be exactly what makes HOPE interesting.
The Answer, for Now
So, is HOPE a trilogy?
No confirmed trilogy exists.
Could it eventually become one?
Yes.
Is there more story?
Absolutely.
Will audiences actually get to see that story on screen?
That is the question nobody can answer yet.
And perhaps that is strangely appropriate for HOPE.
Even the future of the movie leaves us with another mystery.