On January 28, 2025, Bong Joon-ho's new film 'Mickey 17' is set to premiere in South Korea, followed by a global release on January 31. The first teaser trailer for the film has been unveiled.
'Mickey 17' tells the unpredictable story of Mickey, an expendable worker assigned to dangerous tasks, who is reprinted after dying. The film focuses on the 17th death crisis Mickey experiences, when, believing he is dead, a new Mickey, Mickey 18, is printed, leading to unexpected developments.
The first teaser, as suggested by the number attached to the name, centers around the protagonist 'Mickey 17' (played by Robert Pattinson), who repeatedly cycles between life and death. It also introduces intriguing characters and events on an ice planet that humanity is attempting to colonize, as well as the precarious coexistence of 'Mickey 17' and 'Mickey 18' alongside mysterious creatures.
The timing of the teaser's release is also unique. In the U.S., it was unveiled at 17:18 local time, and in Korea, it was released at 9:18 a.m. on September 18, the last day of the Chuseok holiday, simultaneously with the global and Korean trailers.
The teaser begins with the lines, "It's going to be an extreme job," and "You need to get used to dying," showing a gun pointed at a terrified Mickey, emphasizing that death is Mickey’s extreme profession. After showing Mickey’s peaceful expression while drifting through space, the teaser immediately cuts to a severed wrist, hinting at the unpredictable plot that 'Mickey 17' will unfold and his perilous fate. Mickey is shown breathing in mysterious air, being experimented on, and coughing up blood, with the number of Mickeys increasing each time he dies and is reprinted.
As seen in films like 'The Batman' and 'The Lighthouse,' Robert Pattinson has navigated between blockbuster heroes and arthouse protagonists. In 'Mickey 17,' he plays a kind-hearted and almost naive character who, despite being thrown into a furnace, still says, "It’s okay. Thank you." This portrayal of the almost overly kind 'Mickey 17' is a departure from his previous roles.
Despite being reprinted with the same data, making the characters theoretically identical, 'Mickey 18' is noticeably more aggressive, starting with his gaze. Pattinson's portrayal of the stark contrast between 'Mickey 17' and 'Mickey 18' heightens anticipation for the film's depiction of the odd and dangerous coexistence of the two. Particularly intriguing is the rule that 'Multiples,' or more than one version of the same person existing at the same time, is illegal, which sets up the tension that one of them, 'Mickey 17' or 'Mickey 18,' must die.
Naomi Ackie, who played in 'Lady Macbeth,' the Whitney Houston biopic 'I Wanna Dance with Somebody,' and won a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress in 'The End of the F***ing World' Season 2, takes on the role of Nasha, Mickey's girlfriend, who is a brave and capable agent.
Mark Ruffalo portrays Kenneth Marshall, the commander of the slow-moving ice planet colonization team, while Toni Collette plays his wife, Elsa Marshall. Their performances shift between fanatical religious leader-like persuasion and pompousness, injecting both tension and unexpected humor into the story. Additionally, Steven Yeun, who previously worked with Bong Joon-ho on 'Okja' and later starred in 'Minari' and 'Beef,' winning a Golden Globe, Primetime Emmy, and SAG Award, plays Timo, a friend who casually asks Mickey, "What's it like to die?" just before his death, offering a chilling yet familiar tone. The greeting, "Die well, see you tomorrow," leaves a unique impression as well.
The mystery of the creatures that fill the icy planet where 'Mickey 17' and 'Mickey 18' face action-packed sequences also heightens curiosity about what fate awaits Mickey, his companions, and humanity.
Bong Joon-ho's 'Mickey 17' will first be released to Korean audiences on January 28, 2025.
