Oscar-winning director Bong Joon-ho
is finally set to return to the big screen with Mickey 17, a new sci-fi film starring seventeen versions of Robert Pattinson
. Based on the novel by Ashton Edward, Pattinson stars as the titular Mickey who signs up as an “expendable” (a disposable crew member who can be recreated) on a space mission to colonize a new planet. Mickey 17 is a far departure from the grounded story of Joon-ho’s last film, Parasite, but is it a triumphant comeback for the South Korean director? Or, like Mickey himself, is the new film entirely expendable? The first reactions have been released online, so it’s time to find out.
Following Mickey 17‘s London premiere, the first reactions to Bong Joon-ho’s latest have been released, and they’re overwhelmingly positive. Various members of the press, as well as some other acclaimed directors and some members of the largest Bong Joon-ho fan club were all in attendance, and they sang the praises of Mickey 17 following the premiere. “It’s hilarious, wild, sometimes genuinely heartbreaking and a perfect allegory for the hellscape stage of capitalism we’re in right now,” wrote acclaimed director Adam McKay (Anchorman & The Big Short). Karen Han, a writer and creator of the #BongHive online fandom, said that Mickey 17 was “worth the wait” (Parasite was released over six years ago). They wrote:
“MICKEY 17 was worth the wait: funny, strange, and beautiful, with a set of really wonderful performances from robert pattinson and a bit of [Studio Ghibli’s] NAUSICAÄ thrown in for good measure. blockbuster hijinks and ruminations on one’s responsibility to society in a single perfect package.”
Moving over to the critics, who also shared their initial thoughts on social media ahead of their full reviews, which will likely be released before the film’s Mar. 7 release date, not a bad word was said about Mickey 17. “Bong Joon-ho’s #Mickey17 is an absolute riot and Robert Pattinson further proves why he is one of the best, most versatile actors working today,” wrote Fandango’s Erik Davis. Meanwhile Emily Murray of GamesRadar+ promised that Mickey 17 blends its bonkers premise with an incredibly pressing and timely story, writing:
“Director Bong Joon Ho follows up Parasite with the zany #Mickey17 – a thrilling, unexpected sci-fi drama which feels incredibly urgent to today’s world.”
‘Mickey 17’ Releases In Theaters on March 7
Mickey 17 is Bong Joon-ho’s latest English-language film, following on from Okja and Snowpiercer. Alongside Robert Pattinson(s), Mickey 17 also stars Naomi Ackie, Steven Yeun, Toni Collette, Mark Ruffalo, and Angus Imrie. The movie has finally cemented its release date (Mar. 7) after a year of delays.
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Mickey 17 was originally slated for release in March last year, before Warner Bros. delayed the movie by almost 12 months. Since then, the film had bounced between Jan. 31 and April 18, before finally settling into its new slot. Here’s hoping it doesn’t get moved again. The constant shuffling of release dates had many fans concerned about Warner Bros.’ faith in the film’s quality. But, the above reactions prove we had nothing to worry about, as Bong Joon-ho is back with another potential future science fiction classic.
