We’re heading into a very exciting winter season with the November release of “Juror #2” and the January release of “Mickey 17”, for which the long-awaited theatrical trailer has been released today. Based on the novel “Mickey 7” by Edward Ashton, the movie follows the unlikely hero, Mickey Barnes (Robert Pattinson), who 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, the movie stars Robert Pattinson, Naomi Ackie, Steven Yeun, with Academy Award nominees Toni Collette, and Mark Ruffalo. A press tour has been a long time coming for this Warner Bros. film, which was originally set to hit theaters on March 29, 2024 but was later delayed indefinitely. According to Variety, the movie needed more time to finish after the Hollywood strikes and other production shifts. It has finally received a release date, and is currently set to hit theaters on January 31, 2025.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, direcotr Bong Joon Ho made his first trip to CinemaCon to show off a first trailer for “Mickey 17”, with Bong saying it’s the story of “a simple man who ultimately ends up saving the world.” “Mickey 17” is based on the novel Mickey 7 by Edward Ashton and follows Mickey 7, a space colonist known as an expendable — those who do the colony’s most dangerous work and often die in the process, only to be brought back to life through human printing technology. The protagonist in the novel is the seventh version of a man named Mickey Barnes, but in the movie, that’s been upped. “The number is the number of times he dies. I killed him ten times more,” Bong said to laughs from the crowd. “It’s a sci-fi movie, but it’s a human story.” The trailer, which was not released outside the room, was set to Frank Sinatra, which added levity to some rather violent scenes, such as Mickey losing a hand and being dumped alive into liquid metal (with his consent). Mickey 17 has been the subject of much curiosity, given that it is Bong’s followup to the best picture-winning Parasite, yet has taken quite awhile for a first look to emerge. Post-production delays pushed the film off a March 2024 release date to Jan. 31, 2025, a date that turned heads given that this does not position Oscar-winner Bong’s latest as an awards contender. The film also stars Mark Ruffalo, Steven Yeun, Naomie Ackie and Toni Collette. Pattinson essentially plays two characters – Mickey 17 and Mickey 18, and while they are genetically identical, Pattinson gave them different characteristics. Mickey 17, he says, is beaten down by life but is happy to be part of a team, while 18 is more like “playing an evil brother” who is “out of control.”

It looks like we have to wait a little bit longer for “Mickey 17”. Last month, Warners removed it from its previous date of March 29, 2024. The film was delayed due to production shifts caused by the strikes. At the time of the announcement, the delay was not a surprise, as no trailer had been released as its date inched closer and closer, leading to speculation it would move. The feature now arrives Jan. 31, 2025. Robert Pattinson stars in the adaptation of the 2022 novel Mickey 7, from author Edward Ashton. In the novel, Mickey 7 is a space colonist known as an expendable. (In fact, he is the seventh iteration of a man named Mickey Barnes.) Each colony features an expendable, a crewmember who takes deadly jobs but who are then restored via clone bodies when they die. Ashton published the sequel, Antimatter Blues, last year. Director Bong is expected to put his own trademark spin on the source material, with the film also starring Steven Yeun, Naomi Ackie, Toni Collette and Mark Ruffalo. Plan B Entertainment is producing, with Dooho Choi of Kate Street Picture Company, and Bong via his Offscreen, Inc. banner.

With still nothing happening right now, it takes some digging to find news on Toni’s upcoming projects. Among them is Bong Joon-ho’s “Mickey 17”, which is slated for a theatrical release next year, but has already received a test screening this past June, according to WorldofReel. Since test screenings or reactions are rarely officially confirmed, we should take this summary with a grain of salt:

Perfectly conveys the mood and directorial ticks of all his previous films; it’s funny but also cleverly political and though action and adventure take a back seat it’s always doing something sharp and thrilling. Robert Pattinson is wonderfully unhinged in twin roles, very reminiscent of the performances in Fight Club, Mark Ruffalo is delivering a very Trump-ian performance that akin to Tilda Swinton in Snowpiercer and if that’s not enough Toni Colette is just as evil and always in his ear. The production is stunning, big sets and practical effects with very minimal CGI work and the cinematography here is like super close to so much of David Finchers work, so stunning and very much a likely contender for a nomination. It was quite an experience. The introducer emphasized how early it was in the process with very minimally done but 75% was pretty much polished and ready to go with just a score and sound design missing. So much of it was clearly practical.

The article goes on to predict the film’s release date to move to an earlier date, in order to receive a splashy premiere at next year’s Cannes Film Festival, where Joon-ho’s last film, “Parasite”, won the Palme d’Or.

Warner Bros. Pictures has released a teaser trailer for Bong Joon Ho’s next movie “Mickey 17,” starring Robert Pattinson. Other cast members currently include Steven Yeun, Naomi Ackie, Toni Collette, and Mark Ruffalo. Ho will also be writing and producing the film under his company Offscreen. “Mickey 17” is based on the Edward Ashton novel “Mickey7,” which was published in February 2022. The book tells the story of Mickey7, who is an Expendable, a disposable employee. He accepts a position to go on a human expedition to colonize the ice world Niflheim. Whenever there is a mission that is considered too dangerous or downright suicidal, Mickey7 is sent. When one version dies it is simply replaced by a new one that retains most of their memories. “Mickey 17” will be the director’s first film following “Parasite,” which became the highest-grossing South Korean film in history. It also had the distinction of being the first non-English language movie to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Out of its six total nominations, “Parasite” took home Oscars for original screenplay, director, and international feature. “Mickey 17” is slated for release on March 29th, 2024. Check out the teaser trailer below:

After six deaths, Mickey7 is sent out on a routine mission where he becomes lost and is presumed dead. By the time he makes it back to the base, he has already been replaced by Mickey8. This is an issue because in this universe the idea of duplicate Expendables is despised. If found they will most likely be thrown into the recycler for protein. So now Mikey7 must hide his new clone on top of trying to help terraform an ice planet. There is currently no word on plot details or how closely Ho will be sticking to the source material. But the title does kind of hint that Mikey may be a 17th-generation Expendable.

According to IndieWire, Bong Joon Ho’s latest foray into the realm of sci-fi, this time set up as an ambitious studio project at Warner Bros., has now begun filming at Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden in Watford, Hertfordshire in the southeast of England. The news was first reported by KFTV. The movie pairs Bong Joon Ho with Robert Pattinson, Steven Yeun, Toni Collette, Mark Ruffalo, and Naomi Ackie, and it’s based on Edward Ashton’s novel “Mickey7,” published by Macmillan in February 2022. Per the publisher’s synopsis, Pattinson plays “an Expendable: a disposable employee on a human expedition sent to colonize the ice world Niflheim.” Pattinson was last flung into space by director Claire Denis for the A24 sci-fi film “High Life.” The title has yet to be officially announced, and Steven Yeun only just joined the cast in early July. Bong Joon Ho is writing the script, working with producers Dooho Choi, Dede Gardner, and Jeremy Kleiner. More from Macmillan on the synopsis:

Whenever there’s a mission that’s too dangerous – even suicidal – the crew turns to Mickey. After one iteration dies, a new body is regenerated with most of his memories intact. After six deaths, Mickey7 understands the terms of his deal…and why it was the only colonial position unfilled when he took it. On a fairly routine scouting mission, Mickey7 goes missing and is presumed dead. By the time he returns to the colony base, surprisingly helped back by native life, Mickey7’s fate has been sealed. There’s a new clone, Mickey8, reporting for Expendable duties. The idea of duplicate Expendables is universally loathed, and if caught, they will likely be thrown into the recycler for protein. Mickey7 must keep his double a secret from the rest of the colony. Meanwhile, life on Niflheim is getting worse. The atmosphere is unsuitable for humans, food is in short supply, and terraforming is going poorly. The native species are growing curious about their new neighbors, and that curiosity has Commander Marshall very afraid. Ultimately, the survival of both lifeforms will come down to Mickey7.