Bong Joon-ho's first animated feature, "Ally," has secured a wave of international distribution deals through Pathé following its launch at the Marché du Film in Cannes. The film had already been picked up by Neon for the US before Cannes, reuniting the Oscar-winning "Parasite" director with the distributor behind that film's Palme d'Or and four-Academy-Award success, underlining strong industry confidence in Bong's move into animation.

The deal-making has now spread across dozens of territories, with buyers including I Wonder Pictures in Italy, Plaion in Germany, Madman Entertainment in Australia and New Zealand, and Bitters End in Japan, among many others worldwide. Set in the South Pacific Ocean, "Ally" follows a piglet squid whose peaceful world is upended when a mysterious aircraft sinks nearby; its English-language voice cast includes Ayo Edebiri, Bradley Cooper, Dave Bautista, Finn Wolfhard, Rachel House and Werner Herzog, with Alex Jayne Go voicing the title role. Financed by CJ ENM, Penture Invest and Pathé and currently in production, the film is due for worldwide theatrical release in 2027.