Mickey 17: everything we know about Bong Joon-ho's new movie

Prepare for a genuine space oddity when the offbeat sci-fi comedy Mickey 17 hits our screens. Here's what you need to know about it.

What is Mickey 17 about?

Mickey Barnes is an Expendable: a disposable employee on a human expedition sent to colonize the ice world Niflheim. Mickey's role is to undertake the suicidal missions that the rest of the crew seeks to avoid – which always results in his death. After one iteration of Mickey dies, a new body is regenerated with most of his memories intact. After six deaths, Mickey understands the terms of his deal… and why it was the only colonial position unfilled when he took it.

Is Mickey 17 based on a book?

Mickey 17 is based on Edward Ashton's 2022 novel Mickey7. About the film, Ashton says (via Nerdist): "I’ve had people ask me 'Are you nervous?' Literally, director Bong is going to change a lot about the book. When I spoke with him, he made it pretty clear. 'You’ve got a 350-page book. I’m gonna have a 120-page script. There’s a lot that’s gonna go.'

So my answer is no, I’m not concerned about that at all. In my view, the man’s a genius. I don’t believe he’s ever made a bad film. And I sincerely hope that this isn’t going to be his first."

Who stars in Mickey 17?

Robert Pattinson stars as the eponymous Mickey 17, continuing a purple patch that has encompassed DC adventure The Batman (2022, with the sequel coming in 2026), Christopher Nolan's Tenet (2019), Robert Eggers' The Lighthouse (2019) and the Safdie brothers' Good Time (2017).

The excellent supporting cast includes Poor Things Oscar nominee Mark Ruffalo and Hereditary's Toni Collette. I Wanna Dance with Somebody's Naomie Ackie and Nope's Steven Yeun also play key roles.

Who directs Mickey 17?

Mickey 17 is directed by South Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-ho who won an Oscar for the lacerating social satire Parasite (2019). The film deployed an acute, blackly comic dismantling of the social diaspora, placing the haves/have-nots argument through a memorably twisted cinematic filter, and it became the first South Korean production to receive Academy Award recognition, as well as the first non-English-language film to win Best Picture.

Bong Joon-ho's other success stories include the mystery thriller Memories of Murder (2003), based on an infamous unsolved homicide investigation, and the satirical monster movie horror The Host (2006). The director has become famous for his mercurial and unpredictable movies that seamlessly blend social commentary with broad humour and startling moments of horror and Mickey 17 is set to deliver more of the same, promising to keep audiences on edge throughout.

Is Mickey 17 Bong Joon-ho's first English-language film?

Mickey 17 is Bong Joon-ho's third English-language feature following Snowpiercer (2013) and Okja (2017). The former is an allegorical dystopian thriller exploring the class structure on a train that traverses an Earth beset by a new Ice Age, with an all-star cast including Chris Evans, Jamie Bell, John Hurt and Tilda Swinton.

The latter film takes a pointed and empathetic look at consumption and animal rights, the story of a young girl and her genetically mutated pig companion who are torn apart by nefarious corporate forces. As with Snowpiercer, it harnesses an outstanding cast including Tilda Swinton, Jake Gyllenhaal and Paul Dano.

When is Mickey 17 released in the UK?

Initially set for release in 2024 and subsequently delayed because of the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, Mickey 17 is now due for release in the UK on January 31st, 2025.