Bong Joon-ho’s upcoming movieMickey 17is a darkly comedic adaptation of Ashton Edward’s novel “Mickey7”, which follows the titular character as he signs up for a dangerous program that sees him killed over and over again in the name of scientific progress. The story takes place on the deadly ice planet of Niflheim, where Mickey’s role is to undertake the missions deemed too dangerous for the other soldiers, as he can be cloned and reprinted over and over again.Mickey 17opened to strong reviews, marking a well-timed comeback for director Bong Joon-ho.
Through its comedic storytelling and pointed character work,Mickey 17offers some powerful commentary on today’s volatile political climate and the way capitalist greed often exploits the working class. It’s just as fierce and socially charged as the rest of Bong Joon-ho’s projects, but this feels much looser and more free-flowing in its exploration of the themes. It touches on countless ideas that have already been explored in Bong’s filmography, but through a much funnier lens that’s easier to digest.Mickey 17is one of2025’s most anticipated movies, and it certainly won’t disappoint.
Okja
Cast
Okja is a 2017 sci-fi fantasy movie that tells the story of a genetically modified super pig and a young girl who goes on a mission to rescue her from the evil meat industry. The movie was written and directed by Academy Award winner Bong Joon-ho, who is best known for his 2019 movie Parasite.
Out ofBong Joon-ho’s entire filmography,Okjafeels like the most relevant and similar project to his work onMickey 17. The movie centers around a young girl named Mija who develops a strong friendship with a genetically mutated “superpig” named Okja, who is captured by a dangerous company looking to slaughter her for meat.It features much of the same commentary about animal rights, corporate greed, and interpersonal relationships while maintaining a sharp sense of humor throughout.
Parasite
Parasite is a 2019 South Korean film directed by Bong Joon-ho. The film follows the destitute Kim family as they infiltrate the affluent Park household by manipulating their way into various household roles, leading to unforeseen consequences.
Very few directors can make a film in the same style as Bong Joon-ho, which is whyMickey 17feels so comfortingly familiarcompared with the rest of his work.Parasiteis the director’s most acclaimed film to date, following a working-class family in South Korea who look after a wealthy family’s home and discover dark secrets hidden within. The film won the Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Director, but it’s yet to be seen whetherMickey 17will have the same awards success.
High Life
High Life, directed by Claire Denis, stars Robert Pattinson and Juliette Binoche in a science fiction story about a group of criminals sent on a mission to extract energy from a black hole. As the journey unfolds, the crew confronts the isolation of deep space while struggling with their pasts and the manipulative intentions of those in charge.
Robert Pattinson’s lead performance(s) inMickey 17is arguably the film’s strongest asset, but it shouldn’t be surprising given the versatility that he’s displayed previously.High Lifeis a perfect example of this; whilethe film received mixed reviews from critics and general audiencesalike, it marked a huge turning point in Pattinson’s career that cemented him among the most adaptable actors of his generation. The story follows an astronaut who’s forced to look after his daughter when the crew’s mission goes fatally wrong.
Moon
Duncan Jones presents Moon, a sci-fi mystery drama that follows Astronaut Sam Bell, who has spent the last three years working at a lunar mine in isolation and is coming up at the end of his shift. However, as Sam prepares to return home to his family and meet his daughter for the first time, he begins to experience vivid hallucinations of a younger version of himself and begins to experience hazardous events. Before Lunar Industries arrives to relieve him of duty, he must uncover the reason for his recent psychosis and free himself of his mental prison.
Moonfeels like an obvious film to compare withMickey 17because of their narrative similarities, but they also have many differences. Theplot twist inMoon’s endingis that protagonist Sam is actually a clone of therealSam, who remains on Earth while his double is left stranded in a research station on the moon.The film offers some intricate commentary on what it means to be a personand have an identity, and where clones fit into this philosophy. WhileMickey 17doesn’t go into much detail on these ideas, it’s a thematic thread that connects them.
Dual
Upon receiving a terminal diagnosis, Sarah opts for a cloning procedure to ease her loss on her friends and family. When she makes a sudden and miraculous recovery, her attempts to have her clone decommissioned fail and lead to a court-mandated duel to the death. Now she has one year to train her body and mind for the fight of her life.
Dualis another movie that wasn’t overwhelmingly praised by critics, but many of its key themes and narrative ideas are still being explored several years later. The film centers around a terminally ill woman named Sarah, who creates a clone of herself to help her family come to terms with her death. But when she overcomes her sickness, the two Sarahs are forced to duel for the right to exist. It’s a fascinating movie thatfeatures an excellent dual performance from Karen Gillan- andMickey 17touches on many of the same ideas through its two versions of Pattinson’s protagonist.
District 9
Neill Blomkamp’s District 9 combines sci-fi with social commentary in an alternate history in which humans and aliens eke out a tentative coexistence. When a large alien ship appears outside of Johannesburg, humans find it full of sickly and malnourished extraterrestrials they name “Prawns”. After housing the aliens in a slum named District 9, one human finds himself far closer to the Prawn community than he bargained for.
District 9is a post-apocalyptic comedy that follows a government agent who’s responsible for relocating an alien species to the slums of South Africa, whose professional conduct quickly causes problems for interspecies relations. WhileMickey 17’s story deals with very different ideas, their comedic approach to these gritty concepts is very similar. They both use slapstick comedy and wacky performances to suck audiences into these stories which, at their core, are extremely dark. DespiteMickey 17’s many delays, the film is a perfect follow-up for anybody who enjoyedDistrict 9’s distinct style and tone.
Mickey 17
Mickey 17 is a science fiction film following Mickey Barnes, who faces an unusual employment situation with his job demanding a life-threatening level of commitment. The narrative explores themes of sacrifice and survival as Mickey navigates the complex challenges posed by his unique professional obligations.
