Bong Joon-ho’s latest cinematic venture, Mickey 17, debuted at the top of the North American box office over the weekend, making history as the first film by a Korean director to achieve this milestone. Despite the impressive debut, the film’s opening earnings fell short of industry expectations, raising concerns about its ability to recover its substantial production and marketing costs.
According to Box Office Mojo, Mickey 17 earned $19.1 million in its opening weekend from 3,807 theaters across North America. Internationally, the film garnered an additional $34.2 million, bringing its global total to $53.3 million.
South Korea led the international box office, contributing $9 million to the film’s global earnings. Other key markets included France, with $2.9 million, and the United Kingdom, which brought in $2.7 million. In South Korea, Mickey 17 has topped the box office for 10 consecutive days since its release on February 28, attracting more than 2 million admissions.
Based on Edward Ashton’s novel Mickey7, the film follows Robert Pattinson’s portrayal of Mickey, a young man heavily in debt who joins an intergalactic expedition as an “expendable”—a worker destined to perish only to be revived through “reprinting” technology.
While early industry estimates predicted the film would gross around $20 million in its North American debut, its actual performance has led to some unease in Hollywood, particularly regarding its long-term profitability. Warner Bros. invested $118 million in production and an additional $80 million in marketing for Mickey 17. Industry experts estimate that the film will need to gross between $275 million and $300 million globally to break even.
Mickey 17 has drawn considerable attention as Bong’s first film since the monumental success of Parasite, which won four Academy Awards, including Best Picture, in 2020. The film’s performance, however, has sparked debate on its commercial viability, with many wondering if it can reach the box-office heights needed for profitability.
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