History of Snowpiercer in Timeline
Snowpiercer is a 2013 post-apocalyptic action thriller directed by Bong Joon-ho, based on the French graphic novel *Le Transperceneige*. Set in a future where a climate-change experiment froze the Earth, the last surviving humans live on a perpetually moving train called Snowpiercer. A rigid class system exists within the train's carriages, with the elite in the front and the impoverished in the tail section. The story follows Curtis Everett, a tail-section resident who leads a rebellion to reach the engine, controlled by the enigmatic Wilford, in hopes of redistributing resources and changing the social order.
1982: Original Graphic Novel
The Snowpiercer movie was based on a French graphic novel from 1982.
2005: Bong Joon-ho Discovers Le Transperceneige
In the winter of 2005, Bong Joon-ho discovered Jean-Marc Rochette's French graphic novel series Le Transperceneige and was fascinated by its themes, inspiring him to adapt it into the film Snowpiercer.
2007: Copyrights Extended
In 2007, the copyrights to the story of Snowpiercer were extended.
September 2010: First Draft Completion
On September 15, 2010, the first draft of the screenplay for Snowpiercer was completed.
October 2010: Bong Considers Filming in Canada
On October 4, 2010, Bong Joon-ho considered shooting Snowpiercer in Canada due to its film infrastructure.
August 2011: Barrandov Studios Chosen
In August 2011, Barrandov Studios in the Czech Republic was chosen as the film studio and production service provider for Snowpiercer.
August 2011: Studio Determined as Shooting Location
In August 2011, the studio was determined as the shooting location for Snowpiercer.
October 2011: Production Team Moves to Czech Republic
In October 2011, Bong Joon-ho and his production team moved to the Czech Republic in preparation for filming Snowpiercer.
November 2011: Key Crew Members Secured
From November 2011 to April 2012, key members of the Snowpiercer crew, including Ondřej Nekvasil, Eric Durst, Julian Spencer, and Marco Beltrami, were secured and confirmed.
January 2012: Casting Negotiations and Confirmations
In January 2012, Chris Evans entered negotiations to star in Snowpiercer, and Tilda Swinton and Jamie Bell were in talks to join the project. Swinton and Bong experimented with Mason's character. John Hurt was also confirmed to have been cast.
January 2012: Kelly Masterson Hired
In January 2012, Kelly Masterson was hired to rewrite the script for Snowpiercer before it went into production.
February 2012: Octavia Spencer and Ewen Bremner Join Cast
In February 2012, Octavia Spencer joined the cast of Snowpiercer as a passenger who joins the revolt, and Ewen Bremner also joined the cast.
April 2012: Luke Pasqualino Confirmed for Cast
On April 3, 2012, Luke Pasqualino was confirmed to have joined the cast of Snowpiercer.
April 2012: Principal Photography Begins
On April 3, 2012, principal photography for Snowpiercer officially began in Prague, Czech Republic, at the Barrandov Studios with a budget near $42 million.
May 2012: Marco Beltrami Hired
In May 2012, Marco Beltrami was hired to compose the incidental music for Snowpiercer.
May 2012: Visual Design Begins
In May 2012, the first designs of visuals began for Snowpiercer, spanning up until early March 2013.
July 2012: Principal Photography Wraps
On July 14, 2012, principal photography for Snowpiercer officially wrapped at Barrandov Studios after a 72-day shoot.
November 2012: Weinstein Company Acquires Distribution Rights
In November 2012, The Weinstein Company acquired the distribution rights to Snowpiercer from CJ Entertainment.
January 2013: "Yona Lights" Released
In January 2013, a song titled "Yona Lights" was released on Snowpiercer's official website in South Korea.
March 2013: Visual Design Ends
In early March 2013, the visual designs ended for Snowpiercer, with a team of over 70 artists developing over 186 VFX shots.
July 2013: Film Music Performance
In July 2013, pieces from Marco Beltrami's scores for Snowpiercer, Soul Surfer, and The Wolverine were selected for performance during the 007 Fimucité at Tenerife International Film Music Festival.
July 2013: Snowpiercer Premieres in Seoul
On July 29, 2013, Snowpiercer premiered at Times Square in Seoul, South Korea.
August 2013: Soundtrack Release
In August 2013, the official soundtrack for Snowpiercer was released in South Korea.
September 2013: Screening at Deauville American Film Festival
On September 7, 2013, Snowpiercer was screened at the Deauville American Film Festival as the closing film.
September 2013: International Soundtrack Release
On September 9, 2013, the official soundtrack for Snowpiercer was released internationally.
October 2013: Bong Acknowledges Adaptation Challenges
On October 8, 2013, at the Busan International Film Festival, Bong Joon-ho acknowledged the challenges in adapting Snowpiercer to fit the constraints of cinema.
2013: Snowpiercer film release
In 2013, Snowpiercer, a post-apocalyptic action thriller film directed by Bong Joon-ho, was released. It is based on the French graphic novel Le Transperceneige.
February 2014: Berlin International Film Festival Screening
On February 7, 2014, Snowpiercer was screened at the Berlin International Film Festival as part of Berlin's Forum sidebar.
April 2014: Tenth Highest-Grossing Film in South Korea
As of April 2014, Snowpiercer was the tenth highest-grossing domestic film in South Korea with 9.35 million admissions.
June 2014: Film Festival Openings
In June 2014, Snowpiercer opened the Los Angeles Film Festival on June 11 and was screened at the Edinburgh International Film Festival on June 22.
June 2014: US Release and Controversy
On June 27, 2014, Snowpiercer was released in the United States in a limited number of theaters, delayed due to Harvey Weinstein's request to cut 25 minutes of footage.
June 2014: South Korean Opening
Snowpiercer opened in South Korea on June 27, 2014, and became the fastest movie to reach four million admissions.
July 2014: Wider US Release Announced
On July 3, 2014, it was announced that Snowpiercer would get a wider US release in over 150 theaters due to positive reviews.
October 2014: Worldwide Earnings
Between its South Korean opening on June 27, 2014, and October 23, 2014, Snowpiercer earned US$86.7 million worldwide.
October 2014: Home Media Release in North America
On October 21, 2014, Snowpiercer was released on home media in North America by Starz's Anchor Bay Entertainment through The Weinstein Company Home Entertainment.
November 2014: Availability on Netflix
On November 1, 2014, Snowpiercer became available on Netflix for streaming.
2014: Top Ten Films of 2014
In 2014, Snowpiercer appeared on several critics' lists of the top ten best films of the year.
2014: Critical Acclaim and Top Ten Lists
In 2014, Snowpiercer received critical acclaim and was featured on numerous film critics' top ten lists following its international release, being praised for its vision, direction, and performances.
2014: Climate Change Attempt Backfires
In 2014, an attempt to reverse climate change through stratospheric aerosol injection catastrophically failed, resulting in a new ice age that decimated life on Earth.
November 2018: UK Digital Release
In November 2018, Snowpiercer was made available digitally in the UK via Amazon Prime Video.
2019: Snowpiercer: Terminus Publication
In 2019, the fourth volume of the original Snowpiercer graphic novel series, Snowpiercer: Terminus, was published, serving as a sequel to the film and establishing it as being set in the same continuity as the original graphic novels.
May 17, 2020: Snowpiercer TV Show Premiere
The American television show adaptation of Snowpiercer premiered on TNT on May 17, 2020, starring Jennifer Connelly and Daveed Diggs.
2020: Ranked Among Classics of South Korean Cinema
In 2020, Snowpiercer was ranked by The Guardian as number 8 among the classics of modern South Korean Cinema.
2020: UK DVD and Blu-Ray Release
In 2020, Snowpiercer was released on DVD and Blu-ray in the UK.
January 14, 2025: 4K Restoration Release
A 4K restoration of Snowpiercer is scheduled to be released on Blu-ray and digitally on January 14, 2025, by Lionsgate.
