Having completed nearly a month in theaters worldwide, directorBong Joon Ho’s costly science-fiction filmMickey 17is set to conclude its run. The movie lost nearly 1,000 theaters domestically this weekend as it gears up for a digital release in a week or so. It did, however, achieve one last goal before it bowed out for good.Mickey 17has now recovered its reported budget, but that’s not nearly enough for it to be in the clear. The movie reportedly had a difficult post-production, with director Bongclashing with Warner Bros. over the final cut, according to Puck.
He had a similar experience with his first English-language film, the dystopian action movieSnowpiercer, which underperformed at the box office as well. That movie was distributed by the convicted felonHarvey Weinstein, who was said to have clashed with Bong over the final cut. The filmmaker followedSnowpiercerup with the acclaimed Netflix filmOkja, but he delivered the biggest hit of his career in 2019 when he released the black comedyParasite. The movie grossed over $250 million worldwide and won the prestigious Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival before sweeping the Academy Awards. It became the first Korean film to win the Best Picture honor, in addition to a handful of other awards.
Mickey 17has only generated around half ofParasite’s global haul so far. With $43 million domestically and another $77 million from overseas markets, the film’scumulative global gross stands at $121 million.Mickey 17reportedlycost $120 million to produce, making it Bong’s most expensive film. It premiered at the Berlin Film Festival before being launched in Bong’s home country of Korea, where it has generated a total of $20 million. But no amount of spinning can projectMickey 17as a hit. The movie’s performance puts W.B. in a tough spot, withThe Alto Knightsflopping as well. The studio hopes to bounce back with the upcomingMinecraftmovie.
‘Mickey 17’ Earned Positive Reviews
Mickey 17marks starRobert Pattinson’s first release since 2022’sThe Batman, which generated over $750 million worldwide. He’s set to star in a sequel toThe Batman, which is currently in pre-production with directorMatt Reevesat the helm.Mickey 17opened to mostly positive reviews, and it appears to have settled at a “fresh” 78% rating on the aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes. It was reported that the movie would be released on digital streaming platforms 17 days after its theatrical release, but it isnow being reportedthat the film will eventually debut on PVOD on April 8.
Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
Adapted from the novel by Edward Ashton, Mickey 7 is a Sci-Fi film that follows Mickey 17 (Robert Pattinson) and his journey to the ice world Niflheim to colonize the planet. Mickey 17 is an “expendable” employee to be used and thrown away after completing their task - often a dangerous one - but when one iteration of Mickey dies, he is reborn in a new body with a large portion of his memories still intact. After six deaths, however, Mickey finally begins to understand the job and why it was always an unfilled position.
