When Bong Joon-ho announced his next project after Parasite, A-listers were queuing up to secure the lead role. Robert Pattinson was the director’s pick, and he underwent one of his most challenging shoots for the upcoming film, Mickey 17. Hopes are high among fans that the film will earn Pattinson his first Best Actor Oscar.
Mickey 17 will be a pure sci-fi film from the director who also created other masterpieces like Snowpiercer and Okja. The film is based on Edward Ashton’s novel Mickey7. Bong began working on the script in 2021 after reading the manuscript for Ashton’s unpublished book.
Also Read: Why Was Robert Pattinson The Lowest Paid Batman Actor Despite $765 Million Worth Box Office Success?
Robert Pattinson’s Mickey 17 Eyes Three Unique Oscar Records
Robert Pattinson previously shared his excitement for his upcoming film, Mickey 17, with Oscar-winning director Bong Joon-ho. Working with Bong was a completely different style for Pattinson, and he described the film as something crazy. He shared with Evening Standard in early 2023 that the film was unlike anything he had ever done before. The Twilight actor shared with Evening Standard:
“It’s with Parasite director Bong Joon-ho and it’s like nothing I’ve ever done before. The movie is so crazy, it’s a completely different style of working. It’s so much talking.”
Mickey 17 has already captured the attention of the Academy and is likely to achieve certain Oscar milestones. Firstly, Robert Pattinson will aim to bag his first Academy Award. While the Harry Potter actor initially struggled to gain acclaim with critics, his recent performances, including The Lighthouse and The Batman, have been exceptional.
If Mickey 17 wins the Best Picture Oscar, it will mark the first time in a decade for two science fiction films to receive this award, the other film being Everything Everywhere All at Once. Bong Joon-ho could also set an Oscar milestone as the first Korean director to win Best Director twice.
Considering Bong’s previous book-to-movie adaptations, it is assumed that his vision will likely differ somewhat from the premise of Edward Ashton’s 2022 novel. According to Macmillan Publishers, Mickey7, the titular character from the novel, is an ‘Expendable’—a disposable employee—on a human expedition to colonize the ice realm Niflheim. When one iteration of Mickey dies in a suicidal mission, a new clone is regenerated with memories intact.
Things get complicated when Mickey7 is presumed dead, and a Mickey8 is generated. Mickey7 keeps his double a secret, as duplicate Expendables will be thrown into the recycler for protein. The character faces additional challenges when life on Niflheim worsens, threatening the survival of both humans and the native species.
Robert Pattinson’s Mickey 17 — Cast, Crew, And Release Date
In May 2022, Deadline reported that Toni Collette, Mark Ruffalo, and Naomi Ackie had joined Robert Pattinson as the main cast for the film. Later in July, it was announced that Steven Yeun was also reuniting with Bong Joon-ho after their 2017 Netflix film, Okja (via Deadline). Warner Bros., the distributors, released a first-look teaser of the film in December 2022. The teaser announced that the film would hit theaters on March 29, 2024.
The film would be produced by Bong’s production company Offscreen, alongside Brad Pitt’s Plan B Entertainment and Kate Street Picture Company. Jung Jae-il, who previously collaborated with Bong on Okja and Parasite, joined the film as its music composer. Jung also received recognition for his work on the Netflix series Squid Game. Darius Khondji handled the cinematography of the film.
After Mickey 17, it is expected that Robert Pattinson will begin filming for the sequel to Matt Reeves’ The Batman. The Batman – Part II is scheduled for release on October 3, 2025.
