No Other Choice has received a release date at the height of awards season. Co-written and directed by Park Chan-wook – known for Oldboy, The Handmaiden, and Decision to Leave – the South Korean film follows a man who is abruptly laid off, and as he grows increasingly desperate, he hatches a unique plan to find a new job – eliminating his compeтιтion.

Squid Game star Lee Byung-hun leads the cast alongside Son Ye-jin, fellow Squid Game star Park Hee-soon, Lee Sung-min, Yeom Hye-ran, Cha Seung-won, and Yoo Yeon-seok. Its script is co-written by Don McKellar, Lee Kyoung-mi, and Lee Ja-hye, based on the novel The Ax by Donald Westlake, its second adaptation after the 2005 French film of the same name.

Now, Neon has announced that No Other Choice will open in select theaters in the United States on Christmas Day, December 25, before expanding everywhere the following January. It is also set to premiere in South Korea as the opening picture of the Busan Film Festival on September 17, with a domestic nationwide release scheduled for September 24.

What No Other Choice’s Release Date Means For The Movie

With a release date at the height of awards season, No Other Choice is clearly attempting to capitalize on the Oscar buzz it’s been receiving over the past few days. On August 29, it premiered to rave reviews at the Venice Film Festival, where it was nominated for the Golden Lion, with critics praising everything from its dark comedy, action, emotional core, social commentary, and Lee Byung-hun’s standout performance.

No Other Choice currently has a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes with 19 reviews, and was quickly chosen as South Korea’s official submission for the Best International Film category at the 2026 Academy Awards. However, No Other Choice won’t be limited to that category, as it can also compete for Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, etc.

Our Take On No Other Choice’s Release Date

Park Chan-wook is widely considered one of the best South Korean filmmakers for his time, as well as worldwide, with a body of work that includes Oldboy (2003), The Handmaiden (2016), and Decision to Leave (2022). However, he has yet to actually be nominated for an Academy Award.

With No Other Choice garnering Oscar buzz and receiving a strategic awards-season release, this could be Park Chan-wook’s best chance to finally receive his first nomination. Considering all the hype behind the film, the Oscars may have no other choice but to finally nominate Park Chan-wook.