Bong Joon Ho’s ‘Mickey 17’ Eerily Predicted Trump-Like Character, Director Reveals at BFI Talk

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During a comprehensive chat at the British Film Institute prior to the release of his movie “Mickey 17”, acclaimed director Bong Joon Ho mentioned that Mark Ruffalo’s character in the film bears an striking similarity to a specific U.S. president who had previously criticized the groundbreaking Academy Awards win by “Parasite”.

Bong shared that our movie was filmed in London during 2022, and an event from 2024 had a striking resemblance to what’s portrayed in the film. In particular, he pointed out that Ruffalo’s character Kenneth Marshall has skin tinged with a faint orange hue. The director also mentioned that after recent real-life occurrences, Ruffalo himself was taken aback by this parallel and pondered, ‘Could we have been foretelling the future?'”

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“Bong revealed that our film was produced in London back in 2022, and an incident in 2024 mirrored something shown in the movie. Specifically, Ruffalo’s character Kenneth Marshall has a subtle orange tint to his skin. The director also expressed that following recent events, Ruffalo found it intriguing how closely our film predicted reality and questioned, ‘Did we perhaps foresee what was to come?’

When questioned regarding whether his reaction was in response to Trump’s criticisms of “Parasite” winning an Oscar, Bong humorously replied that he isn’t “So small-minded,” causing laughter among the BFI crowd.

The upcoming Warner Bros. movie, slated for release on March 7, features Robert Pattinson in a story that’s based on Edward Ashton’s novel where the main character experiences repeated resurrections after perishing on dangerous missions. Bong, the director, shared his intrigue with this unique idea, stating that it diverges from typical cloning narratives.

In films such as “Spotlight” and “Dark Waters,” Ruffalo is recognized for his activist roles. At first, he was puzzled about being cast as the antagonist, expressing confusion by asking, “Why me? Can’t you see I don’t have that side to me?” According to Bong, this was his reaction.

The BFI event delved into the remarkable journey of director Bong Joon-ho’s career, tracing his path from his 2000 debut film “Barking Dogs Never Bite” to significant works such as “Memories of Murder,” “The Host,” and “Mother.” Remarkably, BFI’s upcoming retrospective will feature screenings of both the color and black-and-white versions of “Mother.

Regarding his unique mix of genres and moods, Bong shared that he doesn’t deliberately segregate aspects such as humor and sadness while writing: “I don’t typically view them as separate entities. I don’t really ponder over how to harmonize these varying pieces…and then film the movie, only later recognizing, ‘Ah, that’s what it has become.’

The director shared insights into his writing technique, mentioning that he prefers penning his work in bustling cafes rather than seclusion. “I frequent cafeterias, coffee shops,” he said, “I bring my laptop along. I often spend two to three hours in one coffee shop before moving on to the next, taking a break for some fresh air and then settling in at another.” However, he lamented that several of his previous writing havens have shut down.

In February and March, the British Film Institute (BFI) plans to showcase a selection of films by director Bong at their Imax cinema. A more comprehensive retrospective is set to begin at the BFI Southbank location in April.

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2025-02-13 02:46