NEW YORK—Director of “Snowpiercer,” Korean filmmaker Joon-ho Bong, stopped by a downtown Manhattan hotel on the last leg of the film’s promotional journey on Wednesday, June 25.
“Snowpiercer” is the sci-fi action drama about a post-apocalyptic dystopia, where those who survived a global warming catastrophe have escaped onto a train which runs on a perpetual-motion engine.
On the train, the escapees establish a caste system—those in the front are the most privileged while those in the back are enslaved under the heel of train leader Mason (Tilda Swinton). But when a member of the proletariat, Curtis (Chris Evans), begins to mobilize the lower class and leads them into a battle with the elite, a war erupts.
Although it’s common for directors to write for specific actors, Evans came into the picture after the role was created. He had heard about the film and wanted to meet with Bong before the casting offers went out.
Evans wanted to be part of a serious character-driven independent project that would showcase his abilities as an actor.
“You can say that he’s a very ambitious actor,” Bong said. “He’s very different than the way he appears in ‘Captain America.’”
The casting directors suggested that Bong reviews Evans’ other more serious roles in “Puncture” and “The Iceman.”
“A lot of people see him as this muscle, superhero action guy, but he’s actually very sensitive and has a quiet and introverted side. He’s a very, very smart person, and he’s a director,” Bong said.
