Director Bong Joon Ho talks about why Mickey 17 has garnered so much excitement ahead of its release and why it must be experienced on the big screenFrom the Academy Award-winning writer/director of “Parasite,” Bong Joon Ho, comes his next groundbreaking cinematic experience, “Mickey 17.” The unlikely hero, Mickey Barnes (Robert Pattinson) has found himself in the extraordinary circumstance of working for an employer who demands the ultimate commitment to the job… to die, for a living.
Written and directed by Bong Joon Ho, “Mickey 17” stars Robert Pattinson, Naomi Ackie, Academy Award nominee Steven Yeun, with Academy Award nominee Toni Collette, and Academy Award nominee Mark Ruffalo. The film is produced by Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner (Oscar winners for “12 Years a Slave,” “Okja,” “Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice”), Bong Joon Ho and Dooho Choi (“Okja,” “Snowpiercer”). It is based on the novel Mickey7 by Edward Ashton.
Given the immense fan attention and excitement around the film, Bong Joon Ho shares what he thinks will resonate with audiences. “First of all, [Laughs] Robert Pattinson is a very charming actor, so I think that’s why people are interested. But I’m not joking. We really see a new side of him in this film, a side we’ve never seen from him. And that naturally blends with the film’s story and theme. It’s one of the best parts. This is a sci-fi film, but it’s also a comedy and a very human story, so I hope the audience enjoys it for what it is. And when they go home after watching it, I hope they spend a brief moment thinking about what makes us human, what we must do to stay human. Just briefly, three minutes maybe [Laughs]” says Bong
Ask him why he insists on experiencing Mickey 17 on the big screen, more so IMAX, and he says, “We live in the streaming era, but there are still certain things you can only feel when you watch a film on a big screen in the theater. Of course, a big screen is great for watching spectacular extraterrestrial spaces and creatures, but I think it’s a powerful experience to watch the actors’ delicate expressions and big closeups on the big screen. The human face carries its own landscape. As I mentioned, we have such a great cast. Rob, Mark Ruffalo, Toni Collette, Steven Yeun, Naomi Ackie and all these actors show such rich expressions and nuanced performances that will be great to watch on a big screen. Rob Pattinson in IMAX, that’s a great experience to have.”
Warner Bros. Pictures presents A Plan B Entertainment Production, An Offscreen Production / A Kate Street Picture Company Production, A Film By Bong Joon Ho: “Mickey 17.” The film will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, and will release in cinemas and IMAX in India on March 7, 2025
