Parasite TV adaptation from Bong Joon-ho and Adam McKay heading to HBO

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Netflix was reportedly outbid by HBO for the rights

(Image credit: Curzon)

A TV series based on the acclaimed South Korean 2019 black comedy, Parasite, is in the works at HBO. As THR reports, HBO won out over Netflix in bidding for the rights. The feature film's writer and director, Bong Joon-ho, is teaming up with Succession executive producer Adam McKay to adapt the film for HBO as an English-language limited series.

Talks are still underway, but we know Bong and McKay would lead the project as executive producers. It's unclear whether the series would tell a follow-up story to Parasite or remake the movie as an English-language series. We'll be sure to keep you updated as we learn more about this exciting, and frankly quite surprising, project at HBO.

Parasite tells the story of the impoverished Kim family scheming their way into the wealthy Park family. The ensuing multi-step scam is often interpreted as a critical commentary on wealth inequality and class division. 

Jamie Graham reviewed Parasite for Total Film and had this to say: "Parasite doesn’t disappoint, again showcasing Bong’s love of hopping between genres – pitch-black comedy here holds sway, but there’s drama, social commentary, horror and a surprising amount of heart mixed carefully and confidently into the 132-minute running time – as it grips from first frame to last."

McKay is the writer and director responsible for 2018's Vice, which earned him three Oscar nominations. He previously directed 2015's The Big Short and served as lead writer on SNL for two seasons.

Jordan Gerblick
Jordan Gerblick

After earning an English degree from ASU, I worked as a corporate copy editor while freelancing for places like SFX Magazine, Screen Rant, Game Revolution, and MMORPG on the side. I got my big break here in 2019 with a freelance news gig, and I was hired on as GamesRadar's west coast Staff Writer in 2021. That means I'm responsible for managing the site's western regional executive branch, AKA my home office, and writing about whatever horror game I'm too afraid to finish.