Client: Bong Joon Ho - Director
Bong hive rise up.
Academy Award-winning “Parasite” and “Snowpiercer” director Bong Joon Ho’s latest foray into the realm of sci-fi, this time set up as an ambitious studio project at Warner Bros., has now begun filming at Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden in Watford, Hertfordshire in the southeast of England. The news was first reported by KFTV.
The movie pairs Bong Joon Ho with Robert Pattinson, Steven Yeun, Toni Collette, Mark Ruffalo, and Naomi Ackie, and it’s based on Edward Ashton’s novel “Mickey7,” published by Macmillan in February 2022. Per the publisher’s synopsis, Pattinson plays “an Expendable: a disposable employee on a human expedition sent to colonize the ice world Niflheim.”
Pattinson was last flung into space by director Claire Denis for the A24 sci-fi film “High Life.”
The title has yet to be officially announced, and Steven Yeun only just joined the cast in early July. Bong Joon Ho is writing the script, working with producers Dooho Choi, Dede Gardner, and Jeremy Kleiner.
Last year, Bong was presented with the “Mickey7” manuscript and became loosely attached to the project before breaking for the holidays, after which he met with top talent, and suddenly A-listers bounded for the role.
This upcoming feature marks Bong’s second deal with WarnerMedia, following the announcement of an HBO limited series based on “Parasite” with Bong executive producing with Adam McKay.
More from Macmillan on the synopsis:
Whenever there’s a mission that’s too dangerous—even suicidal—the crew turns to Mickey. After one iteration dies, a new body is regenerated with most of his memories intact. After six deaths, Mickey7 understands the terms of his deal…and why it was the only colonial position unfilled when he took it.
On a fairly routine scouting mission, Mickey7 goes missing and is presumed dead. By the time he returns to the colony base, surprisingly helped back by native life, Mickey7’s fate has been sealed. There’s a new clone, Mickey8, reporting for Expendable duties. The idea of duplicate Expendables is universally loathed, and if caught, they will likely be thrown into the recycler for protein.
Mickey7 must keep his double a secret from the rest of the colony. Meanwhile, life on Niflheim is getting worse. The atmosphere is unsuitable for humans, food is in short supply, and terraforming is going poorly. The native species are growing curious about their new neighbors, and that curiosity has Commander Marshall very afraid. Ultimately, the survival of both lifeforms will come down to Mickey7.