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Those eagerly awaiting the next film from the legendary Bong Joon-ho will have to wait a little longer, but we finally have quite a bit of information on the highly anticipated Mickey 17 (2024). Any project from an acclaimed filmmaker like Bong Joon-ho is already reason enough to be excited. Still, long-time fans will be delighted to hear that the director's next project will see him return to his roots in science fiction. While he's never exclusively worked in science fiction, Bong Joon-ho's work in the genre is really what put him on the map, especially in the international filmmaking community. His cult-favorite monster movie The Host is widely considered to be one of the best modern monster movies ever made, having both legitimate scares and impressive large-scale spectacle. Then there's his first predominantly English-language film, Snowpiercer, which is a stellar graphic novel adaptation that expertly balances exhilarating action with poignant social commentary. His most recent film, Okja, also featured meaningful social commentary through an incredibly dark take on the classic "kid and their mythical creature" sub-genre with a young girl and her beloved super pig.
All of these films are modern classics, but they still pale in comparison to what is Bong Joon-ho's definitive masterpiece, Parasite. There's really no other film like Parasite. It's a remarkable cinematic experience that's successfully able to bend the genres of drama, comedy, horror, and more within the span of just over two hours. The incredible storytelling on display didn't go unnoticed by moviegoers and critics alike, who all universally praised the film. That praise led to Parasite making filmmaking history as the first international feature to win the coveted Best Picture prize, cementing Bong Joon-ho as one of the best filmmakers working today.
Come 2024, Bong Joon-ho will return to the big screen with Mickey 17, an adaptation of Edward Ashton's dystopian science fiction novel, Mickey7. The series will see a clone named Mickey as he's thrust into a cold and unforgiving world in the darkest depths of outer space. To learn more about Bong Joon-ho's anticipated follow-up, and its cast, trailer, release date, and more, here is everything we know so far about Mickey 17.
When and Where Is Mickey 17 Coming Out?
Bong Joon-ho invites you to enter the scientific world of Mickey 17 when it officially arrives in theaters on Friday, March 29, 2024. Though the project is still a year away from release, Mickey 17 has already been confirmed as a theatrical release, so the only way to see the film when it comes out is to head to your local movie theater. It's hardly a surprising move, given the massive success that Parasite gathered at the box office, significantly exceeding expectations.
No plans for a streaming release have been announced at this time. That being said, Bong Joon-ho has been known to work with Netflix in the past, choosing that as the exclusive platform for Okja. However, it's more likely the film will be coming to Max, as Mickey 17 is a Warner Bros. production.
Watch the Mickey 17 Trailer
Though we're still a ways away from the film's release, Warner Bros graced eager viewers with a teaser trailer for Mickey 17 on December 5, 2022, almost two years before the movie's planned release date. Because it's so early, those looking for major plot details for the trailer are bound to be disappointed. All the thirty-second-long teaser shows is Robert Pattinson's character lying down inside some sort of chamber before looking at the camera. The title of the film also appears in a way that's remarkably similar to that of Alien's iconic opening, with the pieces of the letters slowly forming the words Mickey 17.
When Was Mickey 17 Filmed?
Filming began on Mickey 17 back in August 2022, which means that the above teaser trailer was released only a few months after filming started. Filming has since concluded on the project and Mickey 17 is well into pre-production.
Who's In the Cast of Mickey 17?
Robert Pattinson has recently been quite busy after being cast as the Caped Crusader in The Batman, but he still has time to work with prolific legendary directors as Mickey 17 - the 17th clone of an expendable human used for grunt work and dangerous tasks. Pattinson won't be alone for this space-faring adventure, as he's joined by an outstanding supporting cast. Also confirmed to be in the film are Minari star Steven Yeun, Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker alum Naomi Ackie, Hereditary standout Toni Collette, and The Avengers franchise regular Mark Ruffalo.
Who Is Making Mickey 17?
Bong Joon-ho returns to the director's chair for the first time since 2019, and after taking home the gold in every sense of the word with the Academy Award-devouring Parasite, fans have been incredibly excited for what may be next for the acclaimed legend. Bong Joon-ho will also be writing and producing the film. Also attached to the film's crew are Squid Game composer Jung Jae-il, Bardo: False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths cinematographer Darius Khondji, Life is Beautiful editor Jinmo Yang, The Favourite production designer Fiona Crombie, and Snowpiercer costume designer Catherine George. Mickey 17 is produced by Bong Joon-ho, Dooho Choi, Dede Gardner, and Jeremy Kleiner, with Marianne Jenkins as the executive producer. Dan Glass (The Matrix Reloaded) serves as the VFX Supervisor.
What Is Mickey 17 About?
Plot details on Mickey 17 have been incredibly slim, but we do know that the film will be, at the very least, a loose adaptation of Edward Ashton's Mickey7 novel. Why Bong Joon-ho changed the title to Mickey 17 isn't yet known, though it's possible that the film could be a sequel to the novel rather than a step-by-step adaptation. We won't know for sure until the movie gets closer to its release, so until then, here is the synopsis for Edward Ashton's source material, Mickey7:
"Dying isn’t any fun…but at least it’s a living. Mickey7 is an Expendable: a disposable employee on a human expedition sent to colonize the ice world Niflheim. Whenever there’s a mission that’s too dangerous—even suicidal—the crew turns to Mickey. After one iteration dies, a new body is regenerated with most of his memories intact. After six deaths, Mickey7 understands the terms of his deal…and why it was the only colonial position unfilled when he took it.
On a fairly routine scouting mission, Mickey7 goes missing and is presumed dead. By the time he returns to the colony base, surprisingly helped back by native life, Mickey7’s fate has been sealed. There’s a new clone, Mickey8, reporting for Expendable duties. The idea of duplicate Expendables is universally loathed, and if caught, they will likely be thrown into the recycler for protein. Mickey7 must keep his double a secret from the rest of the colony. Meanwhile, life on Niflheim is getting worse. The atmosphere is unsuitable for humans, food is in short supply, and terraforming is going poorly. The native species are growing curious about their new neighbors, and that curiosity has Commander Marshall very afraid. Ultimately, the survival of both lifeforms will come down to Mickey7. That is, if he can just keep from dying for good."
Will Mickey 17 Get a Sequel?
It's obviously far too early to tell if this will be the start of another Warner Bros franchise, but it is worth mentioning that Edward Ashton has written a sequel to Mickey7, Antimatter Blues, published in 2023. If the film succeeds, there may be more stories to tell after Mickey 17, even though Bong Joon-ho isn't really known for making sequels.