Korean Star Don Lee’s English-Language Action Film ‘Pig Village’ Reveals Key Cast (Exclusive)
Korean star Don Lee’s next feature Pig Village — which reunites the action icon with the director behind two installments of the blockbuster franchise The Roundup — has unveiled its ensemble cast.
Pig Village marks a notable milestone for both Lee and the Korean film industry, as the project will be shot primarily in South Korea but told entirely in English. Producers revealed Thursday that the film’s key cast is led by Lee and includes Michael Rooker (Guardians of the Galaxy, The Walking Dead), Colin Woodell (The Continental, Pulse), Lisette Olivera (National Treasure: Edge of History), Ali Ahn (The Diplomat, Agatha All Along) and Abraham Popoola (The Marvels, Atlas).
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Backed by Plus M Entertainment, Pig Village is directed by Lee Sang-yong (The Roundup 2 and 3, which collectively grossed nearly $200 million) and written by Cha Woo-jin (The Roundup: No Way Out), based on an original story by Don Lee. Lee is also producing via his Big Punch Pictures banner, alongside Nova Film and B&C Content.
Set against the backdrop of the U.S.-Mexico border, Pig Village follows Hammer (Lee), a bare-knuckle boxer who becomes ensnared in a deadly web of crime and corruption after botching a fixed fight in San Diego. He soon finds himself in the crosshairs of cartel fugitives, criminals and corrupt lawmen at Pig Village — a last-stop hotel near the border where chaos reigns and everyone is after the same pot of money.
Rooker plays Steve, a crooked detective with a ruthless streak who holds the key to Hammer’s only weakness. Woodell takes on the role of Randy, a psychopathic killer on a bloody rampage.
Since his breakout performance in the 2016 zombie blockbuster Train to Busan, Lee has become one of Korea’s most bankable stars, headlining The Outlaws (2017) and its three Roundup sequels, all major box office hits. In 2021, he made his Hollywood debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Eternals as Gilgamesh.
Pig Village will shoot primarily in South Korea, with a brief exterior shoot in Southern California, marking the first large-scale English-language action feature to be produced almost entirely in the country.
“Designing and making a true Hollywood action film through the Korean production system has been a dream of mine for years,” said Lee in a statement. “Pig Village brings together top-tier talent from both Hollywood and Korea, blending the strengths of both industries into something totally original and globally exciting.”
Additional cast includes K-pop star Nancy (of girl group MOMOLAND), Alex Meraz (The Suicide Squad, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse), Darri Ingolfsson (Dexter, Banshee), Emeraude Toubia (With Love, Shadowhunters), Griffin Gluck (Locke & Key, Big Time Adolescence) and Daniel Velez.
Powerhouse studio Plus M Entertainment — the company behind The Roundup series and 12.12: The Day, Korea’s highest-grossing film of 2023 — is financing and distributing the project in Korea, as well as handling international sales, which will launch at the in May. Production is expected to wrap in the first half of 2025, with a global release to follow.
Added Rooker: “The moment I read Pig Village, I was in. Don Lee is a force, and the chance to work with him and this badass Korean production team was something I couldn’t pass up. This film is wild, original — and I think audiences around the world are gonna eat it up.”
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