The "Mickey 17" director tells IndieWire about how wanting raw and real performances can conflict with meticulously planned shots, and missing actors now that he's working in animation.

This article was originally published in February 2020 after Bong Joon Ho’s Parasite won the Oscar for Best Picture. With Bong’s latest, Mickey 17, in theaters, we’re running this guide again.

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.