Hyundai's 1983 STELLAR heritage model takes a starring role as thriller HOPE expands worldwide
Hyundai's heritage model STELLAR appears as the main characters' police car in the Korean sci-fi action thriller HOPE, which begins its release across North America today.
- $35 million
- nearly 200
- 79th
- 1983
What Happened
HOPE is a Korean sci-fi action thriller set in the fictional border town of Hope Harbor, near the Korean Demilitarized Zone, following residents fighting for survival after encountering an unknown presence. Hyundai Motor Company's heritage model STELLAR serves as the main characters' police car, functioning not as a passing prop but as a cinematic device that reinforces the period setting and dramatic tension while anchoring the chase sequences. The film is distributed by NEON and is expanding into theaters worldwide, with release across North America today.
HOPE is directed by Na Hong-jin, whose works including The Chaser, The Yellow Sea and The Wailing have helped redefine Korean genre cinema, and is shot by Hong Kyung-pyo, one of Korea's most acclaimed cinematographers, known for Parasite. The cast is led by acclaimed Korean actors Hwang Jung-min and Zo In-sung, along with Hoyeon of Netflix's Squid Game, with supporting performances by Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander and Taylor Russell. The score is composed by Michael Abels, known for Get Out and Nope.
“A superbly sustained pedal-to-the-metal experience that's almost dizzying in its bravura, a rip-roaring sci-fi creature feature that has instant cult classic written all over it.”
STELLAR is launched in Korea; it later evolves into the SONATA, expands into global markets and is produced at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama.
HOPE opens in Korea, drawing attention for its creature action set in broad daylight.
HOPE is released across North America as part of its worldwide expansion.
- Night Fishing — a mystery drama set at an EV charging station, told entirely through vehicle-mounted camera footage, which won awards at Cannes Lions and the Fantasia International Film Festival.
- Snack Movie — a 10-minute film priced at about US$1, reflecting Hyundai's response to the short-form era.
- Bedford Park — Hyundai's first feature film investment, a New Jersey-set drama that won the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Debut Feature at Sundance 2026, was invited to the Toronto International Film Festival and secured global distribution through Sony Pictures Classics.
- HOPE — an official selection in the Competition section of the 79th Cannes Film Festival, where it was pre-sold to nearly 200 territories.
$35 million
Grossed since the film opened in Korea in July.
STELLAR is the predecessor of Hyundai's global best-selling SONATA, launched in Korea in 1983 before evolving into SONATA, expanding into global markets and being produced at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama. Hyundai says the collaboration with HOPE weaves the brand's heritage into a film that has attracted attention across the global film industry, giving STELLAR a new chapter in its story. The company says STELLAR's journey from Cannes to screens around the world reflects its ongoing commitment to bringing brand heritage and storytelling to life through content collaborations, and it has stated an ambition to go beyond making cars and become a cultural partner, reframing the car from a product to be sold into a medium for stories and experiences.
Why this matters
The film puts a carmaker's product history on cinema screens rather than in an ad: audiences worldwide will see Hyundai's 1983 STELLAR as HOPE rolls out globally. Hyundai has said it wants to go beyond making cars and become a cultural partner, a push it has already pursued with the award-winning Night Fishing and its first feature film investment, Bedford Park.
Terms in This Story
- Palme d'Or
- The top prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival, one of the film industry's most prestigious honors.
- Demilitarized Zone
- A buffer zone between North and South Korea where military forces are not stationed.
- Box office
- The total revenue a film earns from ticket sales.
- Cinematographer
- The person responsible for a film's camera work and overall visual look.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.