Bong Joon-ho Addresses Warner Bros. Controversy at 'Mickey 17' Press Conference

On January 20, a press conference for Bong Joon-ho's latest sci-fi film 'Mickey 17' was held at CGV Yongsan in Seoul. The event featured Robert Pattinson, who plays the expendable character Mickey, alongside the acclaimed director. Bong Joon-ho responded to the recent controversy regarding Warner Bros.' treatment of the film, stating, "I found the changes to the release date quite interesting. In my career, I've never had a film that didn't have its release date altered at some point. This time, it seems to have garnered more attention than usual, possibly due to the current Hollywood landscape where many films are also shifting their release dates. There were complex factors involved, but I can assure you that there were no re-edits or reshoots. The project was under a final cut agreement, and Warner Bros. respected that. Despite the external changes, I am ultimately happy that the film is set to release."

'Mickey 17', based on Edward Ashton's novel 'Mickey 7', follows the story of Mickey, an expendable who is printed anew each time he dies. The film explores the chaos that ensues when Mickey faces his 17th death, leading to the unexpected printing of Mickey 18. The cast includes Naomi Ackie, Steven Yeun, Toni Collette, and Mark Ruffalo, with Bong Joon-ho at the helm. The film is set to premiere in South Korea on February 28, followed by a North American release on March 7.