Bong Joon Ho has addressed the risky weirdness ofMickey 17, explaining how the sci-fi dark comedy with a $118 million budget is so unconventional. The story of Bong’s new moviefollows 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 forMickey 17have 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 theLos Angeles Times, Bong explained howhe has sympathy forMickey 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 thecast ofMickey 17consisting 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.
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 byPattinson in the starring role, the actor having proven himself a capable lead in films likeThe LighthouseandThe Batman. The actor’s statement also signalsBong’s dedication to ensuingMickey 17is 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 17is not Bong’s first US-based movie, having also directedSnowpiercerin 2013 andOkjain 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. WhileMickey 17is a departure from the more grounded story ofParasite, 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.
