'No Other Choice': When It Will Be Released & Everything Else We Know About the Upcoming Movie
Prepare for another masterpiece from the creator of Oldboy.
One of the most anticipated movies of the year is Park Chan-wook's No Other Choice. This thriller mixed with dark comedy tells the story of a desperate family man who resorts to extreme measures in an attempt to find work.
Here are all details about the movie's release date, plot, cast, and the novel that inspired it, as well as the 20-year journey to bring it to the screen.
When Will 'No Other Choice' Be Released?
The world premiere of No Other Choice took place on August 29, 2025, at the Venice Film Festival. A month later, it opened in South Korea.
The wide release date for No Other Choice is planned for January, with a limited release in select theaters on December 25, 2025.
What Will 'No Other Choice' Be About?
No Other Choice is a movie about survival in a capitalist society and the desperate struggle to overcome life's circumstances. The protagonist, Man-su, is a mid-level manager who has worked at a paper mill for many years.
By all appearances, his life is a success: he has a loving wife, two children, a beautiful home, and a stable lifestyle.
But practically overnight, Man-su finds himself unemployed. The company is bought out by an American firm, and the man and some of his colleagues are laid off.
In order to maintain his family's income, Man-su tries to find a new job as quickly as possible. However, nothing works out, and he wanders between job interviews and low-paying part-time jobs for over a year.
The difficulty of finding a job, intense competition, and a lack of stability force him to resort to extreme measures. Things reach a point where Man-su begins eliminating potential candidates in an effort to change the situation.
Who Is in the Cast of 'No Other Choice'?
Lee Byung-hun, star of Squid Game, plays the role of the unemployed Man-su. He previously worked with Park Chan-wook on the 2000 war film Joint Security Area.
The main character's wife, Mi-ri, is played by Son Ye-jin, who is known for her work in the K-dramas Summer Scent, The Negotiation, and The Last Princess.
The cast also includes Lee Sung-min, Yeom Hye-ran, Park Hee-soon, and Cha Seung-won.
What Is 'No Other Choice' Based on?
No Other Choice is based on the Donald Westlake thriller novel The Ax. The book tells the story of Burke Devore, a family man who loses his job suddenly and eliminates competitors for his coveted position.
The novel begins with the protagonist pondering whether one can know in advance if someone is capable of killing.
As Park Chan-wook notes, 20 years passed between conceiving the idea for a movie based on Westlake's novel and realizing it. During this time, he was able to assemble the right team and secure the budget he envisioned for filming.
Westlake's novel has already been adapted into a film. In 2005, the Greek-French director Costa-Gavras adapted it into the black comedy of the same name.
