Bong Joon-ho’s next sci-fi movie, Mickey7, has added more actors to the cast. According to Deadline, Toni Collette, Mark Ruffalo, and Naomi Ackie have joined the movie. The film is based on Edward Ashton’s novel of the same name. Mickey7 is currently the tentative title for the movie, which is yet to receive an official name.
From the choice of the actors, it looks like Bong Joon-ho’s third English-language venture will be a megaproject. Toni Collette is known for her roles in Muriel’s Wedding, The Sixth Sense (which even earned her an Academy Award nomination), Little Miss Sunshine, and most recently, the horror film Hereditary. Mark Ruffalo is an internationally acclaimed actor with three Academy Award nominations to his name for films like Spotlight and Foxcatcher and an Emmy win. His role as Bruce Banner/Hulk already makes him a fan favorite. He will be reprising that role again in the upcoming miniseries She-Hulk: Attorney At Law. Naomie Ackie, on the other hand, is an up and budding actress known for her BAFTA-winning role in The End of the F****** World.
Earlier, Robert Pattinson was the first actor to join the film as the lead. After his stint with Twilight series, Pattinson has always been known for taking up unconventional roles. He most recently has gained international acclaim for Tenet and The Batman.
Mickey7 is a pure sci-fi film and focuses on Mickey, an employee on a colonial mission to an ice planet called Niflheim. Mickey is a disposable asset and often sacrifices his life for the task, only to be regenerated with his previous memories intact. But that ends when Mickey dies the sixth time. Understanding that his employment deal requires him to ‘expire,’ it depends on whether he is ready to uphold his part in the job.
Bong Joon-ho Turns Again to Sci-Fi
Bong Joon-ho has previously directed two sci-fi movies, Snowpiercer and The Host. Snowpiercer was iconically his first English-language movie. Earlier, after his globally appreciated and critically acclaimed Parasite, it was reported that he is developing two follow-up movies to Parasite. While one of them was to be a Korean action-horror movie, and the other an English film set in the US and the UK. He was reportedly finishing the script for one of them at the time.
But now, he has turned to one of his favorite genres with Mickey7. Mickey7 is being produced via Warner Bros. and Plan B Entertainment. The latter is owned by actor Brad Pitt, which also produced Bong Joon-ho’s second stint in an English movie, Okja. Bong Joon-ho will also write and produce the film through his company Offscreen(alongside WB and Plan B) besides directing Mickey7. Dooho Choi will also produce on behalf of Kate Street Picture Company.
Mickey7 is among the most anticipated projects, primarily due to the Bong Joon-ho’s name associated with it. The director’s last Parasite had made history by becoming the first foreign language feature film to win an Academy Award for Best Picture. There’s no telling when Mickey7 will get a title, let alone a release date, but the film is expected to go into production in 2023.
Mickey7’s novel synopsis reads:
Dying isn’t any fun…but at least it’s a living.
Mickey7 is an Expendable: a disposable employee on a human expedition sent to colonize the ice world Niflheim. 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.
That is if he can just keep from dying for good.