Robert Pattinson dies 17 times in Bong Joon-ho’s sci-fi thriller, ‘Mickey 17’

Robert Pattinson introduces Mickey Barnes in Bong Joon Ho's sci-fi thriller Mickey 17, a unique hero's journey with multiple deaths.

Robert Pattinson took center stage at CinemaCon 2024 as he introduced audiences to the multiple iterations of his latest character, Mickey Barnes, in Bong Joon Ho’s latest venture, Mickey 17. The trailer for the upcoming sci-fi thriller offered a glimpse into a world where the titular character faces a peculiar challenge: dying seventeen times.

Adapted from Edward Ashton’s novel Mickey 7, the film, now titled Mickey 17, follows the Pattinson’s journey as an “expendable” on a mission to colonize an ice planet that requires him to kill himself multiple times. Soon, one version of Mickey refuses to meet his demise, resulting in a showdown between different versions of himself.

Director Bong Joon Ho described Mickey 17 as a peculiar hero’s journey, as he praised The Batman star’s portrayal of the character and expressed his enthusiasm for the film’s theatrical release, “I’m happy we can show the trailer on a big screen — and not on mobile phones.”

Mickey 17 is Bong’s first film since 2019’s Parasite, which became the first non-English language movie to win Best Picture at the Oscars and the highest-grossing South Korean film in history.

Set for release on January 31, 2025, Warner Bros. showcased Mickey 17 as part of its presentation at CinemaCon, alongside the likes of Joker: Folie à Deux, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and Furiosa.