Mickey 17 is based on Edward Ashton’s novel Mickey7, a future of space travel and interstellar colonization. The film stars Robert Pattinson as Mickey Barnes, an “expendable” worker. He is tasked with life-threatening missions on an icy alien planet. Barnes has the power to regenerate from death. He faces his greatest challenge when he encounters one of his dead selves. The film’s cast features Naomi Ackie, Steven Yeun, Toni Collette, and Mark Ruffalo. It is due to be released in theaters on March 7, 2025.
Mickey 17’s Characters
Mickey 17 features a bevy of different characters across its story in many different roles. The main character and his deceased selves occupy the main role at center stage. The movie still contains a number of different characters, even excluding Barnes. It features Naomi Ackie as Nasha Adjaya, Steven Yeun as Berto, and Toni Collete as Gwen Johansen. Several minor characters are also featured. These include Holliday Grainger as Gemma, Anamaria Vartolomei as Kai Katz, Angus Imrie as Shrimp Eyes, and Steve Park as Agent Zeke. There are other cast members who have been confirmed, but who they will play has not been.
The Story of Mickey 17
Being based on a novel, a lot of the broad strokes of the plot are already there. However, it wouldn’t be unprecedented to change things for the film to make things more cinematic. The official plot synopsis gives us an overall breakdown of what to expect. A disposable employee is sent on a human expedition to colonize the ice world Niflheim. After one version dies, a new body is regenerated with the prior memories. The original source material was called Mickey 7, while the movie is Mickey 17. It seems like the reason for this is that the lead character is set to die 10 more times.
The main themes being explored throughout the story are those of identity and immortality. The main “meat of the story kicks off with Barnes’ seventh death. At this time, Mickey7 is presumed dead, so an eighth Mickey is created. While the trailer has been substantial, the actual plot is being kept under wraps for now. As to how much of the story is a 1 to 1 conversion from the source material, that remains to be seen.
Final Thoughts
The Mickey film is based on a book by a similar name that was released several years ago. The book was incredibly popular on release, and a live adaptation was planned soon after. Set in a future of space colonization and cloning, the story explores themes of identity and immortality. We have the broad strokes, but the precise details are kept under wraps. The trailer shows plenty of neat hints about what is to come, but only in the broad strokes. It doesn’t give any information about how it differs from the source material. Still, it gives enough information for people to start speculating.
South Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-ho has a history of bringing similar films to a wider audience before. Given this, a successful reception is extremely likely. Bong Joon-Ho’s past films include Parasite, Snowpiercer, Mother, The Host and Memories of Murder. Given his past record, it’s fairly safe to say that this movie is in the hands of a director with experience. His background would suggest he can deliver on the novel’s potential for a movie adaptation with relative ease. The movie is keeping its cards close to its chest at the moment and isn’t shelling out much in terms of what the plot will offer.
