Die. Clone. Repeat. Bong Joon Ho's audacious sci-fi odyssey explores identity, exploitation, and what happens when capitalism perfects the disposable worker.
Mickey 17 (2025) - The Complete Breakdown
The Existential Premise
In 2054, Mickey Barnes (Robert Pattinson) signs up as an "Expendable" - a disposable worker cloned and reprinted after each gruesome death - for a colonization mission to the ice planet Niflheim. After 16 deaths, Mickey 17 discovers a shocking violation: his replacement, Mickey 18, has been activated while he still lives.
The Technology
3D-printed clones with full memory implantation create the ultimate disposable workforce
The Conflict
Two versions of one man must hide their coexistence from the colony's authoritarian leaders
The Horror
Mickey remembers every painful death - from toxic exposure to being eaten alive
The Stellar Cast
Robert Pattinson
as Mickey Barnes
Steven Yeun
as Timo
Mark Ruffalo
as Kenneth Marshall
Signature Sequences
Death Montage
A darkly comic sequence showing Mickey's 16 gruesome demises
Clone Confrontation
Mickey 17 meets his arrogant replacement, Mickey 18
Creeper Encounter
The terrifying yet adorable indigenous lifeforms reveal their intelligence
Provocative Themes
Worker Exploitation
Capitalism's ultimate fantasy: infinitely replaceable labor with no rights
Identity Crisis
What makes you "you" when copies share your memories?
Colonial Horror
The brutal reality of planetary settlement and indigenous encounters
Visionary Craft
Director
Bong Joon Ho
Parasite, Snowpiercer
Cinematography
Darius Khondji
Seven, Uncut Gems
Production Design
Fiona Crombie
The Favourite, Cruella
Source Material
Mickey7 by Edward Ashton
Critical Reception
"Pattinson delivers a gonzo, deranged performance that keeps you hanging on through Bong's wildest swings."
— Variety
"A glorious mess of ideas - some brilliant, some half-baked - that only Bong could conjure."
— The Guardian
Why This Matters
Following his historic Parasite Oscar wins, Bong Joon Ho uses his blank check to create:
- A worker's nightmare: The ultimate metaphor for disposable labor under late capitalism
- Technical marvel: Stunning production design and seamless clone effects
- Pattinson unleashed: His most unhinged performance since The Lighthouse
- Bong's boldest swing: An ambitious, messy follow-up that refuses to play it safe
⚠️ Content Warning: Contains graphic violence, body horror, and disturbing themes.
Release Information
Theatrical Release
January 31, 2025 (US)
Streaming
Warner Bros. / HBO Max (TBA)
Which Mickey Would You Be?
The traumatized veteran (17) or the arrogant newcomer (18)? Discuss after watching!