Train to Busan‘s Yeon Sang-ho is officially developing another zombie movie. The South Korean director previously helmed the 2016 film, which told the story of a father and daughter and other pᴀssengers who struggle to survive on a train from Seoul to Busan when a zombie virus breaks out in the country. Train to Busan was well-liked at the time of its release, getting a nearly universally positive 95% on Rotten Tomatoes and an 89% among audiences. Since then, Yeon has worked with Netflix on the series Hellbound and the upcoming movie Revelations.

Per ᴅᴇᴀᴅline, Yeon has officially announced plans for a new zombie film, Gunche. Production on the new movie has started, and three cast members have been announced, including Jun Ji-hyun, Ji Chang-wook, and Koo Kyo-hwan. The film’s English-language тιтle has not been revealed yet, but the movie is set to be released next year. Distributor Showbox described Gunche as “the culmination of Yeon Sang-ho’s universe, spanning from Train to Busan to Peninsula.”

What This Means For Yeon Sang-ho

How Is Gunche Connected To Train To Busan?

While the full plot details of Gunche have not yet been revealed, the тιтle’s meaning sheds light on what the film could be about. According to the report, “gunche” is a Korean word that means biological colony. This phrase implies some kind of virus or spreading or at least a group of biological organisms. This meaning evokes some kind of zombie virus akin to what was depicted in Train to Busan, hinting at the origin of the zombieness in Gunche.

The statement that Gunche is “the culmination of Yeon Sang-ho’s universe, spanning from Train to Busan to Peninsula” also suggests that this may be the last zombie film from Yeon for a while, ending a franchise. The 2020 film Train to Busan 2: Peninsula is considered to be set in the same universe, though it is a standalone sequel. The announcement did not state that Gunche had the same Train to Busan connection, but with the тιтle’s translation also implying some kind of virus, this seems possible.

Our Take On The Gunche Announcement

Peninsula Was Not As Well-Liked As Train To Busan

Train to Busan is by far Yeon’s most beloved work, providing an emotional and character-driven take on the zombie apocalypse genre. However, Peninsula was far less revered, putting pressure on Gunche to restore the Yeon zombie film name. The film already features different cast members from Train to Busan and Peninsula, and as such, I think it would be most appropriate for Gunche to differentiate itself from its immediate predecessor while still providing a satisfying ending to a mini-franchise.

Source: ᴅᴇᴀᴅline