Bong Joon-ho has addressed the risky weirdness of Mickey 17, explaining how the sci-fi dark comedy with a $118 million budget is so unconventional. The story of Bong’s new movie follows expendable employee Mickey (Robert Pattinson), who embarks on dangerous missions on a distant planet for his company, dying and getting a clone reprinted multiple times. Reviews for Mickey 17 have been positive, with the story of two versions of Mickey being printed at the same time providing an engaging premise. It’s also outside the realm of typical Hollywood movies, taking risks with its storytelling.
Speaking with the Los Angeles Times, Bong explained how he has sympathy for Mickey 17‘s producers and marketers because of how risky and strange the movie is. The director explains risks aren’t a factor when it comes to the movies he makes, prioritizing the storytelling elements over everything else. Pattinson also chimed in about the production, explaining how impressed he was by the feats accomplished. Check out what Bong and Pattinson had to say below:
Robert Pattinson: I just remember him saying, when he was in the edit, ‘I’m trying to land a 747 on an inch-wide runway.’ He’s literally the only director who could have made something like this. It’s sort of a unicorn.
Bong Joon-ho: I feel bad for the producers and the marketing team for saying this — I know they have a very hard job. But once I find a particular story or character or situation fascinating, I just go ahead and I create a movie based on it. I really don’t think about the risks. Maybe I can’t.
What Bong’s Statement Says About The Risk Of Making Mickey 17
The Director’s Viewpoint On His Movie Explained
Bong’s previous movie, Parasite, won Best Picture at the Oscars in 2020, becoming the first non-English language film in the ceremony’s history to do so. However, his latest film was clearly a much larger task, from the cast of Mickey 17 consisting of Hollywood stars like Pattinson, Mark Ruffalo, and Steven Yeun, to its massive budget and sci-fi setting. His statement emphasizes how these elements have made it a strange and risky move for the production studios involved, especially when the director isn’t interested in weighing its chances of success.
Related
Mickey 17’s Rotten Tomatoes Score Was Never Going To Live Up To Parasite
Although Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite follow-up isn’t as critically acclaimed as his beloved Best Picture winner, he still made another hit with Mickey 17.
Thankfully, the movie’s positive initial reviews and the director being an Oscar winner can help bolster its potential at the box office. This is aided by Pattinson in the starring role, the actor having proven himself a capable lead in films like The Lighthouse and The Batman. The actor’s statement also signals Bong’s dedication to ensuing Mickey 17 is perfect, having taken risks even in the filmmaking process to get certain elements of the movie right. These ideas being translated onscreen can reveal the level of effort that went into its production, no matter the risk involved.
Mickey 17 is not Bong’s first US-based movie, having also directed Snowpiercer in 2013 and Okja in 2017.
Our Take On The Risk Factor Involved With Mickey 17
The Story’s Standout Elements Might Actually Help It
Because of the sci-fi film’s unique premise, any strange elements help it stand out from other movies, something that makes it uniquely interesting. While Mickey 17 is a departure from the more grounded story of Parasite, it still provides intriguing ideas that might resonate with a large audience because they’re risky. With the movie now in theaters, its upcoming box office performance will determine if Bong’s big swing hits.
Source: Los Angeles Times
Mickey 17
8/10
- Release Date
-
March 25, 2025