Futuristic Ice Age thriller Snowpiercer could turn out to be the District 9 of 2013. Korean director Bong Joon-ho's first English-language flick, like Neil Blombkamp's thoughtful alien invasion from 2009, operates far outside the Marvel/DC/vampire/zombie nexus that inspires most big Hollywood spectacles.

Judging from a spare concept art teaser offered on the film's Korean website uncovered by TFS, Joon-ho can be expected to extend his reach as the rare filmmaker who combines art house subtlety with killer suspense instincts.

With Snowpiercer, based on Jacques Lob and Jean-Marc Rochetteg from French graphic novel Transperceneige, he's got a rich premise to work with. Set in 2031, the last survivors on earth hurtle through a landscape covered in ice and snow in a train whose compartments are divided by social class. Revolution brews as desperate passengers fight for survival. Drawing from this source material, Joon-ho has a chance to create a genuine breakout that blends socio-political metaphor, sci-fi spectacle and genuinely scary moments.

Image courtesy Weinstein Company

There's plenty of reason to get psyched about Joon-ho's artistry. He served as president of the 2011 Cannes Film Festival Camera D'or Jury a few years after he freaked out sci-fi audiences with The Host. The 2006 monster movie gave the old toxic-waste-spawns-Hellish-mutant convention a freakishly effective update. It's set in Seoul, where an accidental spill evidently gives rise to a huge river creature that wreaks havoc on the lives of scientists and civilians alike.

The Host debuted at Cannes, broke box office records in Korea and earned Joon-ho and international cult following.

With Snowpiercer, Bong joins the ranks of global talents like Timur Bekmambetov, Guillermo del Toro and Ang Lee, who've made the cross over to English-language cinema. He's pulled together an entirely-hack-free set of actors to help put the story across. There's not a single dumb bell among the cast members. They include likeable Chris Evans (Captain America), the fierce Tilda Swinton, Oscar-winner Octavia Spencer, versatile Newsroom star Alison Pill and serious young Brit Jamie Bell, along with intense veteran talent Ed Harris plus Korean movie star Song Kang-ho. The Korean site also included a brief preview of the film score by Marco Beltrami:

Acquired by the Weinstsin Cimpany in November, Snowpiercer is expected will likely start showing up at film festivals later this year with a firm theatrical release date to be announced.

We can't wait.