The concept for Mickey 17 is intriguing with Mickey dying repeatedly, which reminds me of Tom Cruise’s Edge of Tomorrow. However, in that movie, he gets to live again thanks to the time loop. In Mickey 17, Mickey dies and his thoughts are transferred into a new cloned body. The process was broken when scientists believed Mickey 17 was dead, creating Mickey 18 and resulting in two Mickeys living in the space colony. Now they must learn to live together or suffer permanent deletion.

The colorful cast is a delight to watch. Pattinson delivers an engaging performance playing two different personalities. Mark Ruffalo is a standout as the eccentric and crude leader of the colony, Kenneth Marshall. Naomi Ackie is the tough-as-nails Nasha Adjaya, Steven Yeun is the despicable friend, and Toni Collette is the anchor to Kenneth.

Joon-ho’s films have common themes of social class inequality, which can be seen in Snowpiercer and Parasite. In Mickey 17, there is a hierarchy and special treatment for some of the colonists, but it isn’t at the forefront like the other films.

Having two Mickeys alive and interacting with each other was very entertaining, and the film sets itself up for many possibilities regarding shenanigans, drama, and the meaning of life. However, the third act pivoted into a conventional sci-fi action film. Another threat takes the spotlight instead of fleshing out the story presented to us with the Mickeys and the cloning process.

Robert Pattinson is a blast to watch as he plays different characters in Mickey 17, and there is fun to be had watching a human colony trying to survive a hostile world. However, it was a lost opportunity with the film switching up the third act instead of seeing the drama of the Mickeys play out. I think it would have worked better as a series.

Score: 3/5 Atoms

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Today, Warner Bros. Pictures has released the second official trailer for Mickey 17. It gives viewers a taste of the many deadly missions Mickey has to go through for the company. Additionally, Mark Ruffalo can be seen in an antagonist role.

About Mickey 17

Synopsis: 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 Robert Pattinson (“The Batman,” “Tenet”), Naomi Ackie (“Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker”), Steven Yeun (“Nope”), with Toni Collette (“Hereditary”), and Mark Ruffalo (“Poor Things”).

Mickey 17 releases in U.S. theaters on March 7, 2025.

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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 Robert 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 and Jeremy Kleiner (Oscar winners for “Moonlight” and “12 Years a Slave”), Bong Joon Ho and Dooho Choi (“Okja,” “Snowpiercer”). It is based on the novel Mickey 7 by Edward Ashton. The executive producers are Brad Pitt, Jesse Ehrman, Peter Dodd and Marianne Jenkins. The director of photography is Darius Khondji (Oscar nomination for “Bardo: False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths,” “Okja”). The production designer is Fiona Crombie (Oscar nomination for “The Favourite,” “Cruella”). It is edited by Yang Jinmo (Oscar nomination for “Parasite,” “Okja”). The visual effects supervisor is Dan Glass (“Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore,” “Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw”). The costume designer is Catherine George (“Okja,” Snowpiercer”).

Warner Bros. Pictures presents A Plan B Entertainment Production, An Offscreen Production / A Kate Street Picture Company Production, A Film By Bong Joon Ho: “Mickey 17.”

The film will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, in theaters only nationwide on January 31, 2025, and internationally beginning on 28 January 2025.

Featured image courtesy of Warner Bros.

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This film, a departure from the conventional hero narrative, is Bong Joon-ho’s endeavor to infuse a human touch into the sci-fi genre. Mickey 17, based on Edward Ashton’s Mickey7 novel, is a unique hero movie that sets itself apart from the usual hero tales. Mickey’s journey, fraught with repeated deaths, is a significant aspect of his role as an Expendable.

Robert Pattinson’s portrayal of multiple iterations of Mickey is a testament to his versatility. His ability to differentiate each clone while maintaining a consistent physical appearance is commendable. This aspect of the film highlights the challenges of depicting visually identical but distinct characters. The cast also includes Mark Ruffalo as the film’s antagonist, a dictator with a deceptive charm, and Toni Collette as his wife. Steven Yeun, Mickey’s eccentric ally, is also featured in the movie.

At CinemaCon, we also saw a trailer that suggests a darkly humorous tone. The trailer showcases Mickey’s life as an expendable clone who undergoes repeated deaths while on the job. Mickey takes pride in his role within the team. However, the trailer takes an intriguing turn when one of the clones survives, setting the stage for making Mickey into a hero we didn’t think we needed. The film’s premise is somewhat similar to the plotline of 11 Bit Studios’ The Alters, where the main character, Jan, must make alternate versions of himself – the alters – to survive. The film also has shades of Groundhog Day in it with the way that the different Mickeys live out their day differently.

Mickey 17 hits theaters on January 31, 2025.

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