Magnolia Pictures will bring a new 4K restoration of Bong Joon Ho’s The Host to theaters nationwide on November 20, 2026, 20 years after the creature feature became a worldwide sensation. The re-release includes an exclusive conversation with the Oscar-winning filmmaker.
The Host follows Gang-du (Song Kang-ho), who runs a food stand on the banks of the Han River. When a monstrous creature climbs onto the shore and starts crushing and devouring people, it snatches his daughter, Hyun-seo (Ko A-sung), and vanishes into the water. The government declares the creature the Host of an unidentified virus, but Gang-du soon gets a phone call that changes everything: Hyun-seo is alive. Determined to rescue her, he plans to slip into the forbidden zone around the river.
Bong Joon Ho (Parasite, Snowpiercer) wrote and directed the film, which stars Song Kang-ho (Parasite, Memories of Murder) and Ko A-sung. The creature came to life through a partnership between Weta Workshop (King Kong, The Lord of the Rings) and The Orphanage (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Sin City), blending state-of-the-art effects with a human drama about family. The film is rated R and runs 119 minutes.
Bong also recorded a special message for the date announcement, which Magnolia shared alongside a teaser.
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- The Host (2006) — image from the 4K restoration announcement. Courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.
