Bong Joon Ho Unveils ‘Mickey 17’ at Seoul Press Event

SEOUL, South Korea — Acclaimed director Bong Joon Ho unveiled his highly anticipated sci-fi drama ‘Mickey 17‘ at a press event in Seoul on Monday, marking his first feature film since the Oscar-winning ‘Parasite.’ The film, starring Robert Pattinson, is set to premiere at the Berlinale in February before its theatrical release in South Korea on February 28 and in the U.S. on March 7.

‘It’s exciting to have the honor of premiering Mickey 17 in Korea before it hits cinemas worldwide in March,’ Bong told reporters at Seoul’s Yongsan CGV cinema. The film, adapted from Edward Ashton’s 2022 novel ‘Mickey 7,’ follows a directionless man who becomes an ‘expendable’ employee on dangerous missions, regenerated each time he dies.

Robert Pattinson, who plays the titular character, expressed his enthusiasm for the project during the press conference. ‘I’m just so happy people are excited about the movie. It has been a long road to come to this release,’ he said. Pattinson, known for his roles in ‘The Batman‘ and ‘Tenet,’ also shared his delight at visiting South Korea for the first time. ‘I don’t understand how I’ve never come to Seoul with promotional tours with other movies. I’ve always wanted to come,’ he added.

Bong emphasized that ‘Mickey 17’ is more than just a sci-fi film. ‘It’s about humanity. The story of Mickey revolves around an ordinary, powerless, and vulnerable young man,’ he explained. The director chose to focus on the human aspects of the story, stripping away technical details from the original novel to present Mickey as a lonely, working-class figure.

Pattinson recounted his experience filming ‘Mickey 17,’ describing the set as reminiscent of a ‘giant Star Wars production.’ He praised Bong’s unique directing style, which involved shooting one or two lines at a time. ‘After one week, everyone is like, “This is the best, we want to do every movie like this,”’ Pattinson said. Bong attributed the actors’ initial bemusement to the differences between Korean and U.S. filmmaking practices, particularly the real-time editing done on set in Korea.

The film’s ensemble cast includes Naomi Ackie, Steven Yeun, Toni Collette, and Mark Ruffalo. A new trailer released by Warner Bros. ahead of the film’s premiere highlights the grim reality of Mickey’s role as an expendable worker on the desolate ice planet Niflheim. The trailer blends dark humor with the film’s unsettling premise, underscoring the importance of understanding labor contracts.

‘Mickey 17’ is poised to be a significant addition to Bong Joon Ho’s acclaimed body of work, blending sci-fi with profound human themes. The film’s release is eagerly anticipated by fans and critics alike, promising a thought-provoking cinematic experience.