Production to begin on 'Mantis,' spinoff to Netflix hit 'Kill Boksoon'

A spinoff of the Netflix action film “Kill Boksoon” (2023) is scheduled to start production, set in the same world of contract killers.

From left, actors Park Gyu-young, Yim Si-wan and Jo Woo-jin [NETFLIX]

A spinoff of the Netflix action film “Kill Boksoon” (2023) is scheduled to start production, set in the same world of contract killers.

The spinoff action film, tentatively titled “Mantis,” revolves around an ace assassin named Han-ul, also known as "Mantis," who returns to the hit man industry after a vacation. Han-ul, his fellow trainee Jae-yi and a retired legendary killer named Dok-go all vie for the top spot among the killers.

Directed by Lee Tae-sung, who was an assistant director on “Kill Boksoon,” the film will feature actors Yim Si-wan as Mantis, Park Gyu-young as Jae-yi and Jo Woo-jin as Dok-go. The film will mark director Lee’s feature film debut.

The film will also be cowritten by director Byun Sung-hyun, who directed “Kill Boksoon.”

“Kill Boksoon,” released on March 31, 2023, follows the story of Gil Bok-soon, portrayed by actor Jeon Do-yeon, who leads a double life as a high-stakes killer and a single mother to a teenage daughter.

The 2023 film was initially screened at the Berlin Film Festival in February last year ahead of its release. It also landed in Netflix’s Global Top 10 Films list in the non-English category for seven weeks.

BY KIM JI-YE [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr]