"Mickey 17," an absurd yet thought-provoking sci-fi satire from Oscar-winning director Bong Joon-ho, premiered in China on Sunday, eliciting strong reactions from first-day viewers.

Posters for "Mickey 17" line the walls of a Beijing theater, serving as decorations for the film's premiere on March 2, 2025. [Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures]

Adapted from Edward Ashton's novel "Mickey7," the film stars Robert Pattinson as Mickey Barnes, an "expendable" — a disposable crew member on a space mission who can be regenerated with most memories intact if he dies. When a regeneration goes awry, Mickey confronts the extraordinary dilemma of working for an employer who expects him to die for a living. Written and directed by Bong, the film also features Naomi Ackie, Steven Yeun and Mark Ruffalo.

"I think nowadays there are very few directors in the world who are on Bong's level and have the audience that Bong has as well," said Pattinson. "He's living in very rarified air. I've just been such a huge fan of his. And it just came out of nowhere — 'There's a Bong project.' I met him and really loved him. Then the script came in, and it is one of the craziest things I'd ever read."

The "Parasite" director, known for his sharp social commentary and genre-defying storytelling, continues to explore systemic inequality with humor, emotion and suspense in "Mickey 17." The film combines biting, character-driven social satire with high-concept science fiction.

The marketing campaign for "Mickey 17" playfully appeals to Chinese audiences, especially younger viewers, by portraying the film as a tale of workers navigating demanding bosses. Following premiere events in Beijing and seven other Chinese cities, moviegoers praised the film's funny, heartfelt and timely allegory, along with the cast's performances.

Posters for "Mickey 17" line the walls of a Beijing theater, providing decorations for the premiere event and serving as backdrops for attendee photographs, March 2, 2025. [Photo/China.org.cn]

As of March 3, "Mickey 17" has received an 88% approval rating from critics on the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 43 reviews. The critics' consensus states: "'Mickey 17' finds Bong Joon Ho returning to his forte of daffy sci-fi with a withering social critique at its core, proving along the way that you can never have too many Robert Pattinsons."

The film will be released nationwide in China on March 7.