Adam McKay’s adaptation of Bong Joon Ho’s Parasite for the small screen no longer features Tilda Swinton. The Oscar winner told Variety, “I don’t believe I’ll be a part of it, but I’m very pleased to be a cheerleader.” This confirms that she is no longer slated to star in HBO’s version of the Oscar-winning film Parasite. Swinton has been mentioned for the role of the female protagonist opposite Mark Ruffalo since February 2020. The project, which will be converted into a six-hour limited series on HBO, is being developed by Korean filmmakers Bong Joon-ho and Adam McKay.
Swinton and Bong Joon-ho have previously collaborated on the films Snowpiercer and Okja. The parasite is “excellent for cinema from start to end,” Swinton, who is acquainted with Bong Joon-ho, said. Best Foreign Language Film, Best Original Screenplay, Best Director, and Best Picture were all awarded to the 2019 film Parasite at the Academy Awards. It was also the first picture made in a language other than English to win the Best Picture Oscar. The TV show is not a reimagining of Parasite, but rather a brand-new series that will uncover the mysteries and untold tales that the original film left unanswered.
Adam McKay called it “a fresh tale that resides in the same environment” in a 2021 interview on Josh Horowitz’s podcast “Happy Sad Confused.” Swinton’s actual reason for leaving the project is unclear at this time, although she continues to be an enthusiastic supporter. After Swinton’s unexpected departure, Bong Joon-ho and McKay will likely begin looking for a new lead actress. A production update was given by McKay in April 2021 on the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast, when he said that the programme was “chugging full speed forward with a wonderful writer’s room.”
Parasite director Bong has said he was inspired by the world of Fanny and Alexander, an Ingmar Bergman film that was also adapted into a TV series. The parasite is a darkly comedic thriller since it has both scary and funny scenes. Swinton is most known for her roles as Madame D in The Grand Budapest Hotel and the White Witch in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. She has lately been seen in the films The Eternal Daughter by Joanna Hogg, Asteroid City by Wes Anderson, and Pinocchio by Guillermo del Toro. The parasite isn’t Bong’s only project; he’s also creating and producing an untitled animation movie, and he’s supervising the adaptation of the science fiction novel Mickey7, which stars Robert Pattinson. We don’t yet have a release date for the Parasite series, which is currently under production.