MOVIE NEWS – Bong Joon-ho, the visionary director behind Parasite, which became the first non-English-language film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, is making his long-awaited return with Mickey 17. The world has been eagerly anticipating his next move, and with the sci-fi film set to release next week, early critics are already showering it with praise. While Bong has proven his versatility by tackling multiple genres throughout his career, he recently revealed in a lighthearted interview why he has absolutely no interest in directing a musical.

During an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Bong discussed Mickey 17 and reflected on the vast array of themes and genres he’s explored in his work. When asked if he would ever consider making a musical, the South Korean filmmaker laughed and admitted that while he respects the genre, there’s one key element he simply can’t handle—making it highly unlikely that he’ll ever step into the world of song-and-dance storytelling.

“I have a lot of respect for musicals. I’m a big fan of Jesus Christ Superstar, and I absolutely love All That Jazz, but I could never direct one. I just can’t stand when characters randomly break into song. You see them having a normal conversation, then suddenly—[sings] ‘Tonight’—I just can’t deal with the awkwardness. Musicals aren’t for me.”

Bong Joon-ho’s Mastery of Genre Filmmaking

Aside from Mickey 17, Bong Joon-ho has crafted some of the most acclaimed films across multiple genres. His 2006 monster thriller The Host boasts a 93% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, proving his ability to blend heart with horror. He followed it up in 2009 with the neo-noir thriller Mother, before making his English-language debut in 2013 with the post-apocalyptic action epic Snowpiercer. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated an exceptional ability to craft compelling, character-driven narratives. While it might be entertaining to see his take on a musical—perhaps something in the spirit of Repo! The Genetic Opera—it’s safe to say Bong is best suited to the kinds of films he already excels at.

Mickey 17’s Connection to a John Carpenter Classic

Based on Edward Ashton’s novel Mickey7, the film stars Robert Pattinson as Mickey Barnes, an expendable worker whose sole job is to die repeatedly and be regenerated each time. However, an unforeseen glitch leads to two versions of Mickey existing at the same time. While the movie stays true to the novel’s themes, Bong has admitted that its core ideas share similarities with John Carpenter’s sci-fi horror masterpiece The Thing—one of his all-time favorite films.

“At its heart, this is a story about what it means to be human. You have the humans, and you have these creatures, and you get to compare the two.”

Like The Thing, Mickey 17 features otherworldly beings—in this case, mysterious entities known as Creepers. While they aren’t searching for human hosts, Bong has hinted that they play an essential role in the film’s plot. Audiences will be able to uncover their significance when Mickey 17 hits theaters nationwide on March 7, courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.

Source: MovieWeb