After winning an Oscar for Best Picture, what’s next? If you’re Bong Joon-ho, you dive right back into the creative process, aiming to produce something even more bizarre and packed with Hollywood stars than your previous work. The first complete trailer for Bong’s follow-up to “Parasite,” titled “Mickey 17,” is now available. His rendition of Edward Ashton’s mind-bending sci-fi novel, “Mickey7,” appears to be a hit – it’s darkly humorous, unsettling, and indeed, mind-bending.
The initial glimpse of the new film was revealed over a year ago, in December 2022. “Mickey 17” was scheduled to premiere in theaters in early 2024, but was postponed due to what The Hollywood Reporter referred to as “post-strike production shifts.” This delay undoubtedly provided the film’s team with additional time to refine and enhance it during post-production.
The plot of “Mickey7” and Bong’s new film revolves around an “expendable,” a man engineered to be reborn with a new body and his previous memories every time he dies. Robert Pattinson’s character, Mickey, has died 16 times while trying to colonize a frozen planet. The film, previewed at CinemaCon earlier this year, features two versions of Mickey – 17 and 18 – trying to pose as one individual, as expendable duplicates are prohibited from coexisting in this universe. The film also features Steven Yeun (who brings the same odd humor as he did in Bong’s “Okja”), Mark Ruffalo, Toni Collette, and “Blink Twice” star Naomie Ackie.
Mickey 17 promises to be wildly entertaining
Warner Bros.
We might be exaggerating a bit, but this could be one of the best trailers we’ve seen in a while. We couldn’t have anticipated Robert Pattinson’s unique voice for Mickey and his numerous duplicates, but we’re not complaining! His voiceover, combined with “Ain’t That a Kick in the Head” by Dean Martin and Nelson Riddle, gives off “Goodfellas” vibes, especially if “Goodfellas” featured Steven Yeun sporting a stylish mustache. We never doubted Bong Joon-ho’s artistic vision, but this trailer surpasses all our expectations. A sci-fi film with Robert Pattinson’s clones continuously being incinerated (and the risk of being devoured by snow beasts) and a tough Toni Collette in a power suit? Count us in!
As entertaining as the trailer is (kudos to Naomi Ackie exclaiming “It’s so exciting!” while pinching the cheeks of two Robert Pattinsons), there’s no doubt Bong Joon-ho will weave in some profound existential drama amid the space chaos and humorous clone antics. The real disappointment is having to endure such a fantastic trailer and knowing we’ll have to agonize for months before we can finally watch the film. Nevertheless, “Mickey 17” has quickly become one of the most anticipated releases of 2025 for many people.
We can’t wait to cheer and applaud when “Mickey 17” premieres in theaters on January 31, 2025.
Credit: www.slashfilm.com
