The Sword: Rebirth of the Red Wolf
| The Sword: Rebirth of the Red Wolf | |
|---|---|
 Teaser poster | |
| Hangul | 칼: 고두막한의 검 |
| Lit. | Sword: The Blade of Godumak-han |
| RR | Kal: godumakhanui geom |
| MR | K'al: kodumakhanŭi kŏm |
| Directed by | Kim Han-min |
| Starring | |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Redice Entertainment |
Release date |
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| Country | South Korea |
| Language | Korean |
The Sword: Rebirth of the Red Wolf (Korean: 칼: 고두막한의 검) is an upcoming South Korean historical action film directed by Kim Han-min and starring Park Bo-gum, Joo Won, Trấn Thành, Jung Jae-young, and Lee Sun-bin. The film centers on Chil-seong, a former Goguryeo warrior who has been reduced to a slave after losing his memory. Distributed by Redice Entertainment, it is scheduled for a theatrical release in South Korea in the summer of 2027.
Premise
Set in 668 AD, shortly after the fall of Goguryeo, Chil-seong is forced into a brutal gladiatorial tournament where 16 different tribes—including the Khitan, Mohe, and Göktürks—compete for the "Sword of Godumak-han", a legendary relic viewed as a symbol of hope for the displaced Goguryeo people. As he navigates the bloody competition, Chil-seong is mentored by Heuk Su-gang, the leader of Goguryeo Restoration Army, and eventually reclaiming his identity as a hero known as the "Red Wolf".[1]
Cast
- Park Bo-gum as Chil-seong, a former Goguryeo warrior held as a slave gladiator and after losing his memory, he eventually adopts the identity of the "Red Wolf"[1]
- Joo Won as Gyepil Ha-ryeok, a warrior representing the Göktürks and a rival to Chil-seong[1]
- Trấn Thành as Sol In-gwi, the commander of the Andong Protectorate under the Tang dynasty[2]
- Jung Jae-young as Heuk Su-gang, the leader of the Goguryeo Restoration Army and Chil-seong's mentor[1]
- Lee Sun-bin as Maya, a member of the Goguryeo Restoration Army[1]
- Kim Hyeong-seo as In-jeong, the daughter of Su-gang[1]
- Kim Jae-chul as Ya-yul, a strategist for the Khitan[2]
- Choi Gwi-hwa as Daeha Jinchung, a leader within the Khitan tribe[2]
- Park Myung-hoon as Pung-sa, a former gatekeeper at Liaodong Fortress[2]
- Lee Soon-won as Jeok In-geol, a strategist under In-gwi who manages the gladiatorial tournament[2]
- Lydia Park as Tangri, a Mongol shaman[3]
Production
Development
Director Kim Han-min, best known for his Yi Sun-sin trilogy, officially announced the project during the "Plus M X SLL Night" event held in Busan on October 4, 2024. The film, titled Sword: The Blade of Godumak-han, initially set two years after the fall of Pyongyang Fortress in Goguryeo. Kim described the narrative as a "desperate sword-fighting epic" centered on a memory-impaired warrior who enters a conflict involving five different tribes to claim the legendary "Sword of Godumak-han". During the announcement, Kim stated that the production aims to deliver a "unique" style of historical action choreography.[4] The production is a collaboration between Bigstone Pictures and Bluefire Studio, with Redice Entertainment serving as the primary investor and distributor.[1]
Casting
The casting process for the film saw several high-profile developments between 2024 and 2026. In March 2025, Park Bo-gum was reported to lead the film, marking his second collaboration with director Kim following his minor role in the 2014 hit The Admiral: Roaring Currents.[5] Ten months later, Joo Won was cast and marks his first historical film in nearly a decade.[6] While Kim Hyeong-seo would make a special appearance.[7] Bigstone Pictures finalized the official lineup in January 2026, with the addition of Jung Jae-young and Lee Sun-bin.[1]
While Cha Seung-won was initially in talks for a major role, his casting fell through when the production schedule was pushed back from its original August 2024 start date. Following Cha's departure, the role was reportedly taken over by Vietnamese actor Trấn Thành.[8][9]
Filming
Principal photography began on March 3, 2026. While early production schedules had aimed for a start date in January 2026, the project officially entered production in early May. Ahead of the start of filming, the production team conducted an "activity reading" session on March 9. Departing from traditional table reads, this rehearsal involved the cast and crew coordinating dialogue alongside physical action sequences and blocking. During these sessions, lead actors Park and Joo practiced high-difficulty sword choreography, with Joo specifically utilizing twin swords for his role.[10][2]
Marketing
Bigstone Pictures unveiled the first global teaser posters for the film on May 7, 2026, signaling the start of a worldwide promotional campaign. The teaser features a close-up of Park Bo-gum as Chil-seong, capturing a pivotal moment of "awakening" where the character begins to reclaim his identity after living as an amnesiac slave. The promotional art confirmed the official English title as The Sword: Rebirth of the Red Wolf.[11]
Release
The Sword: Rebirth of the Red Wolf is scheduled for a theatrical release in South Korea in the summer of 2027. The production team has also confirmed plans for a global rollout, with a particular focus on Japan and Vietnam. This international push is reflected in the casting of Trấn Thành, intended to broaden the film's reach across the Asian market.[12]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Jang, Joo-yeon (January 15, 2026). 박보검→이선빈, 김한민 '칼: 고두막한의 검' 캐스팅 라인업 확정 [Park Bo-gum → Lee Sun-bin, Casting lineup confirmed for Kim Han-min's The Sword: Rebirth of the Red Wolf]. Ilgan Sports (in Korean). Retrieved May 7, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Lee, Su-jin (March 9, 2026). 박보검, 파격 변신...'칼: 고두막한의 검' 리딩 현장 공개 [Park Bo-gum's Radical Transformation...Script Reading for The Sword: Rebirth of the Red Wolf Revealed]. Ilgan Sports (in Korean). Retrieved May 7, 2026.
- ↑ Jin, Yoo-mi (March 4, 2026). 박리디아, 김한민 감독 신작 ‘칼: 고두막한의 검’ 특별출연 [Lydia Park to make special appearance in director Kim Han-min's new film The Sword: Rebirth of the Red Wolf]. PPSS (in Korean). Retrieved May 7, 2026.
- ↑ Park, Jin-young (October 5, 2024). 김한민 감독 차기작은 '칼:고두막한의 검'...플러스엠xSLL, 라인업 공개 [Director Kim Han-min's next project is The Sword: Rebirth of the Red Wolf...Plus M x SLL reveal lineup]. JoyNews24 (in Korean). Retrieved May 7, 2026.
- ↑ Yoon, Sung-yeol (March 21, 2025). [단독] '폭싹' 안방 울린 박보검, '명량' 김한민 감독 신작 주연..스크린 컴백 [[Exclusive] Park Bo-gum, who moved viewers to tears in When Life Gives You Tangerines, to star in The Admiral: Roaring Currents's Director Kim Han-min's new film..A return to the big screen]. Star News (in Korean). Retrieved May 7, 2026.
- ↑ Chang, A-leum (January 6, 2026). [단독] 주원, 김한민 신작 '칼 고두막한의 검' 합류...박보검과 특급 라인업 [[Exclusive] Joo Won Joins Kim Han-min's New Work The Sword: Rebirth of the Red Wolf...A Masterclass Lineup with Park Bo-gum]. News1 (in Korean). Retrieved May 7, 2026.
- ↑ Chang, A-leum (January 6, 2026). [단독] '대세' 비비, 박보검·주원과 '칼 고두막한의 검' 함께...사극 첫 도전 [[Exclusive] 'Trendsetter' Bibi joins Park Bo-gum and Joo Won in The Sword: Rebirth of the Red Wolf...First challenge in a historical drama]. News1 (in Korean). Retrieved May 7, 2026.
- ↑ Kang, Hyo-jin (May 13, 2025). [단독]차승원, 김한민 감독 신작 '칼, 고두막한의 검' 합류 [[Exclusive] Cha Seung-won Joins Director Kim Han-min's New Film The Sword: Rebirth of the Red Wolf]. SPOTV News (in Korean). Retrieved May 7, 2026.
- ↑ Lee, Seung-hun (January 6, 2026). [단독] 차승원, 박보검과 투샷 불발..김한민 신작 '칼, 고두막한의 검' 고사 [[Exclusive] Cha Seung-won, Two-Shot with Park Bo-gum Falls Through..Declines Role in Kim Han-min's New Work The Sword: Rebirth of the Red Wolf]. Star News (in Korean). Retrieved May 7, 2026.
- ↑ Lee, Su-jin (October 1, 2025). 박보검, 대작 '칼, 고두막한 검' 캐스팅...2026년 초 크랭크인 [Park Bo-gum Cast in Epic Masterpiece The Sword: Rebirth of the Red Wolf...Filming to Begin in Early 2026]. Sports Seoul (in Korean). Retrieved May 7, 2026.
- ↑ Kim, Kyung-hee (May 7, 2026). "박보검 맞아?" 눈빛부터 달라졌다, 김한민 감독 신작 '칼' 티저 최초 공개 ["Is that really Park Bo-gum?" Even his gaze has changed, first teaser for Director Kim Han-min's new film The Sword revealed]. iMBC (in Korean). Retrieved May 7, 2026.
- ↑ Jang, Joo-yeon (May 7, 2026). '칼: 고두막한의 검' 박보검, '멍뭉미' 지웠다..."전혀 다른 얼굴 보게될 것" [The Sword: Rebirth of the Red Wolf Park Bo-gum sheds his 'puppy-dog' charm..."You'll see a completely different face"]. Ilgan Sports (in Korean). Retrieved May 7, 2026.