The Korean master spoke with Scott Feinberg at the 2020 Santa Barbara International Film Festival and again five years later via Zoom.

While Mickey 17 is adapted from Edward Ashton’s 2022 novel Mickey7, Ashton’s version is a much more straightforward sci-fi story than Bong’s. In the Korean virtuoso’s hands, this story plays out like an extension of nearly every theme and visual approach he’s used throughout his lengthy career.

The master of creating layered and deep compositions tells IndieWire why "Mickey 17" required a different approach compared to his previous film.

Of course Bong Joon Ho is an environmentalist. He recycles his own ideas."Mickey 17," a sloppy but enjoyable sci-fi comedy set in the year 2054, mashes together the monsterphobia of "The Host," the animal-rights activism of "Okja,

It's no Parasite or Mother, but Bong Joon-ho still delivers a grim critique of capitalism rife with detailed performances and striking production design.