Posted in: Movies, Warner Bros | Tagged: bong joon ho, film, Mickey 17, robert pattinson, Warner Bros

Mickey 17 Director Says He Didn't Think About Any Risks

The star and director of Mickey 17 discuss how the unique Warner Bros. film required some unconventional marketing tactics.

During its opening weekend, the new zany sci-fi flick Mickey 17 generated generally positive reviews from audiences and critics. However, despite its reception, the film is already struggling to live up to its costly budget of over $118 million (pre-marketing expenses), which could unfortunately be a result of its eccentric story that somewhat deters the average moviegoer. Now, the team attached to the film is discussing its originality and how it might have been a complicated project to navigate from a marketing standpoint.

During an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Mickey 17 star Robert Pattinson reflected on the creation of the film's creation, explaining, "I just remember [our director] 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." In response, filmmaker Bong Joon Ho then goes on to elaborate, "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."

It's obviously important for a filmmaker to have the authority to create something without being stifled by studio interest and outside creative input—which can occasionally lead to cinematic excellence. That being said, it's definitely a risk for a studio (and, in some ways, the filmmaker), so hopefully, we'll get to see more of his peculiar style of storytelling despite the film's lackluster performance. But also, it's still pretty early into its release, and maybe the film has what it takes to become a sleeper hit before it concludes its theatrical run!

Mickey 17 Plot Details and Complete Cast

From the Academy Award-winning writer/director of Parasite, Bong Joon Ho comes his next groundbreaking cinematic experience, Mickey 17. The unlikely hero, Mickey Barnes (Robert Pattinson) has found himself in the extraordinary circumstance of working for an employer who demands the ultimate commitment to the job… to die, for a living.

Written and directed by Bong Joon Ho, Mickey 17 stars Pattinson (The Batman, Tenet), Naomi Ackie (Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker), Steven Yeun (Nope), with Academy Award nominees Toni Collette (Hereditary), and Mark Ruffalo (Poor Things). The film is produced by Dede Gardner (Oscar winner for Moonlight, 12 Years a Slave), Jeremy Kleiner (Oscar winner for Moonlight, 12 Years a Slave), in addition to Bong Joon Ho and Dooho Choi (Okja, Snowpiercer). The film is based on the novel Mickey 7 by Edward Ashton.

The latest Warner Bros. film, Mickey 17, arrived in theaters on March 7, 2025.

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