Imagine a dystopian future where Earth is covered in a seemingly endless blanket of snow and ice. This world is nearly devoid of human life, save for a smattering of people who are all confined to one passenger train that's tearing its way through the bleak terrain. Trapped and uncertain of their future, these passengers begin to fixate on their differences rather than a common goal of survival, and it soon rips their little world in two.
This is the setting of Bong Joon-ho's English-language debut Snowpiercer (formerly Snow Piercer), which is inspired by the French graphic novel Le Transperceneige. It's fitting then that the first look at the film's concept art should come from the influential French film magazine Cahiers du Cinema (via The Playlist). Check them out below:
The first picture appears to be a look at the titular train forging it's way through the ruins of our world, which includes a massive, overturned battleship. Next looks to be a peek into the crowded sleeping compartments for the lower classes, think steerage on Titanic. And lastly, there's a total counterpoint to the desperation and isolation seen in the first two images. This third shot seems to be a school within the train (note the distinctive ceiling), where children are learning from brightly lit screens. Already the class differences aboard the Snowpiercer are clear.
Last up, Comic Book Movie uncovered the film's teaser poster, which draws all the focus to the film's dystopian premise and its cast of international stars that includes Chris Evans, Song Kangho, Tilda Swinton, Jamie Bell, Octavia Spencer, Ewen Bremner, Alison Pill, John Hurt and Ed Harris.
Snowpiercer is coming in 2013.
