Mickey 17, the upcoming collaboration between Oscar-winning director Bong Joon-ho and actor Robert Pattinson, just got a release date. With a first-look teaser, Warner Bros. has confirmed that the sci-fi film will debut on the big screen on March 29, 2024. The footage is quite vague on the details and simply shows our lead waking up from a deep slumber, and staring into the camera. No summary was immediately available, but it is known that the Parasite filmmaker’s latest joint is adapted from Edward Ashton’s new novel, “Mickey 7.”
Pattinson will play Mickey Barnes the “expendable,” a disposable employee, who is sent on a human expedition to colonise the ice world of Niflheim. However, each time an iteration dies, he is replaced with a new clone, with almost all of the memories intact. Upon returning from one of his dangerous missions, he discovers that a replacement, Mickey 8, has already reported for duty, causing him to question his existence, form a conscience, and prevent the clone from taking his place.
From a thematic standpoint, Mickey 17 is similar to Rei Ayanami’s arc from the popular 1995 anime Neon Genesis Evangelion, who upon discovering her reality as a clone, simply accepts it and carries on in sorrow — understandable, since she had the mind of a teenager. Mickey, on the other hand, is an adult capable of making his own decisions, and therefore, fights back.
Bong seems to be adding a strong spin on Ashton’s material though, by incorporating 10 more iterations of the clone, which could suggest a more advanced and self-aware version. Throughout his illustrious career, the director has touched upon the class divide in society, and how the downtrodden struggle to find a place in the world. A similar idea is presented here, where the worker Mickey serves his privileged superiors, whilst being treated as a disposable entity. While not explicitly mentioned, Mickey 17 seems to be Bong’s first full English-language film. His previous entries, Snowpiercer (2013) and Okja (2017), featured a blend of several spoken languages — mainly switching between English and Korean.
Alongside Pattinson, Mickey 17 also stars Steven Yeun (Minari), Naomi Ackie (Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker), Toni Collette (Hereditary), and Mark Ruffalo (Zodiac).
Production on the film began in the UK, in August, with Plan B Entertainment, Dooho Choi of Kate Street Picture Company, and Bong’s own Offscreen banner. Darius Khondji, who rose to prominence with auteur collaborations such as David Fincher’s Se7en and Michael Haneke’s Funny Games (US), serves as the cinematographer for Mickey 17.
Mickey 17 is slated to hits theatres on March 29, 2024.
