Robert Pattinson, Naomi Ackie, Bong Joon Ho Leave London Starstruck at ‘Mickey 17’ World Premiere

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On Thursday night, stars like Robert Pattinson, Naomi Ackie, Steven Yeun, Mark Ruffalo, Toni Collette, and director Bong Joon Ho walked the red carpet for the debut of “Mickey 17.” This event left many Londoners spellbound.

Mickey 17 marks Bong Joon-ho’s first full-length film since his unprecedented Academy Awards triumph with Parasite. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter on the red carpet, Robert Pattinson expressed his long-standing desire to collaborate with Bong Joon-ho, stating, “He is one of the directors I have always wanted to work with throughout my career.” As a teenager, Pattinson watched Memories of Murder and was immediately captivated by Bong’s genius. He found Bong to be simply extraordinary.

Pattinson referred to him as an “absolute virtuoso,” expressing his pride at collaborating with one of the “leading five directors active in the industry today.

Prior to the movie, the actor hadn’t previously met Ackie, who portrays Mickey’s romantic interest. As Pattinson confided in THR, “I hit it off really well with her from the get-go.” “We went out for a drink, and she’s absolutely hilarious,” he added.

Robert Pattinson admitted he had no idea about the movie’s storyline before accepting the lead role. He confessed, “I was so eager to work with Director Bong that I agreed without even reading the script, and he wouldn’t reveal its contents.” Laughing, he added, “Frankly, this film is quite peculiar once you read the script. You find yourself wondering, ‘What on earth is going on here? How can this be possible?’ When you then realize the production scale is comparable to Star Wars, it’s just mind-blowingly bizarre. Yet, I relish being taken aback and inspired by unexpected things.

Ackie shared with THR that the bond between her character, Nasha, and Mickey forms the heart of the movie. “It’s pivotal to the plot,” she explained. “Beyond other aspects, it is a tale of love. The unique way Nasha loves Mickey through all his transformations and stands ready to fiercely protect him really resonates. I believe we all could use a friend like Nasha.

When her friends discovered that she’d be acting alongside the popular heart-throb, Pattinson, they were quite excited! She shared this by saying, “They got really excited!” with a chuckle.

Ackie couldn’t stop raving about Bong, saying it was “a dream” to collaborate with him. According to her interview with THR, she has worked with many talented directors, but Bong stands out because he combines empathy, warmth, and enthusiasm with a strong work ethic. She finds it mind-blowing that he can balance all these qualities and still create such exceptional work. All she can do is marvel at his talent.

In the movie, Robert Pattinson portrays Mickey Barnes, a colonist in space who is labeled as disposable. Disposables perform the riskiest tasks that the colony offers, frequently meeting their end during these tasks, but then resurrected through advanced human replication tech.

In the main plot, Robert Pattinson portrays both Mickey 17 and Mickey 18. At CinemaCon, he mentioned that he crafted distinct personalities for these characters. Mickey 17 appears to be a man hardened by life, yet content with his role in the story. On the other hand, Mickey 18 embodies a malevolent sibling, seemingly uncontrollable and menacing.

Bong explained to THR during the world premiere on Thursday that what drew him to the film’s source material was its exploration of human printing, and the abundance of human drama within it. He said he was instantly captivated by this unique concept.

The setting depicted in the movie is based on the novel “Mickey 7” by Edward Ashton, published in 2022. This book focuses on the seventh incarnation of Mickey Barnes, but for the film, this number was amplified to 17. At CinemaCon in April, director Bong jokingly mentioned that “The number represents the number of times he dies. I’ve killed him 10 times more.” He went on to say that while it is a sci-fi movie, it ultimately tells a deeply human story.

On Thursday, he confided in THR that he wished for his character to experience more deaths than depicted in the book, but this wasn’t about making a slasher film. Instead, he aimed to portray the character overcoming hardship and offering a glimmer of hope and optimism through his journey.

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In a chat with THR on Thursday, he disclosed that he wanted the character to experience more deaths than in the book, but it wasn’t about crafting a serial killer movie. Rather, his intention was to illustrate the character’s struggle and provide a touch of hope and optimism throughout the storyline.

The sophistication of human printing shares some similarities with the ongoing discussion about AI’s place in our society. As Bong put it, “This intricate technology has left many puzzled as to its true nature and how best to manage it.” He further added, “I believe the same can be said for AI. There is much admiration for its capabilities, but we are struggling with what to do with it, as well as the ethical dilemmas that it presents.

Upon his arrival at the red carpet, eager fans enthusiastically cheered for Yeun, much like they did for other cast members. The actor expressed to The Hollywood Reporter how rewarding it was for him to collaborate with the director once more after their previous project on Okja. “He’s one of my most admired individuals and, undeniably, one of my favorite artists,” Yeun stated. “Working together again was a delight – having a shared history, an understanding, we simply thrived in our roles.

Bong stands out for several reasons, according to Yeun. On one hand, his dedication to mastering his craft is remarkable, with a level of preparation and care that encourages everyone involved to contribute their own unique perspectives. On the other, he’s a highly creative artist who allows the creative process to unfold naturally rather than dictating it.

Before the premiere of the sci-fi black comedy at the Berlin Film Festival’s 75th edition, producers Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, and Dooho Choi were also present in London for the event.

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2025-02-13 23:25