Director Bong Joon-ho: "I take full responsibility for 'Mickey 17'... If you don't like it, criticize me" [Cannes ★ Report]

*This content was translated by AI.

Director Bong Joon-ho opened up about his honest feelings regarding his last released film, "Mickey 17."

Director Bong Joon-ho made a surprise appearance on the red carpet at the opening ceremony of the 79th Cannes Film Festival, drawing significant attention. In this context, Variety published an interview with director Bong Joon-ho during the Cannes Film Festival, sharing details about his upcoming animated film "Ally."

When asked about his experience with the traditional Hollywood studio system for the first time through "Mickey 17," director Bong Joon-ho said, "Technically, this was my third English-language film, but 'Okja' was a Netflix production, and 'Snowpiercer' was made in collaboration with a Korean studio. So, 'Mickey 17' was my first experience with a truly traditional Hollywood studio system." He added, "I felt that the actual film production process itself was not significantly different. However, since this was my first film with a budget exceeding $100 million, the psychological and mental pressure was considerable. Therefore, I think I will naturally move on to making smaller-scale films in the future."

Director Bong Joon-ho stated, "In big-budget films, directors often lose creative control. Was the final released version of 'Mickey 17' the film you wanted?" He replied, "The director's final cut was included in the contract, and both the studio and the agency did their best to uphold that right. Of course, there were numerous discussions and exchanges of opinions during the post-production process. However, no one ever forced or pressured me. Fortunately, I have been able to release all my films in the director's final cut version, and 'Mickey 17,' despite its large scale, was no exception. All the good parts and the bad parts of that film came from me. It is entirely my responsibility. So, if you don't like it, direct your criticism at me, not the studio."

Meanwhile, director Bong Joon-ho will direct his first feature-length animated film, "Ally" (ALLY). "Ally" is director Bong Joon-ho's first feature-length animation, following his global acclaim for films such as "Parasite," "Mother," and "Memories of Murder." Development and planning for the project began in 2019. It is a major global project featuring top-tier production teams from 12 countries, including Korea, with director Yoo Jae-sun, who directed "Sleep," invited to the Critics' Week at the 76th Cannes Film Festival in 2023, participating as a co-writer.

CJ ENM, the Pench K-Content Investment Fund managed by Pench Investment, and the French major studio Pathé Films are co-investing and handling distribution. The production will be overseen by Barunson C&C, led by Seo U-sik (CEO), who produced director Bong Joon-ho's films "Mother" and "Okja."

Inspired by actual marine life, "Ally" centers on themes of friendship and courage, depicting how the meeting between humans and deep-sea creatures transforms both worlds. The story follows a group of deep-sea fish living in an underwater canyon who are curious about the human world. Their peaceful daily lives, centered on the protagonist, a baby pig-octopus named "Ally" who dreams of seeing the sun directly and appearing on TV, are suddenly threatened when an unidentified aircraft crashes into the sea. As "Ally" gets caught in an unexpected great adventure and begins a journey to the world above the water, the film promises to deliver the ultimate adventure for the whole family, featuring fantastic visuals, thrilling action, and delightful humor mixed with warm emotion.

Regarding the reason for making an animated film, director Bong Joon-ho said, "My first short film was an animation. However, that process was so difficult that I decided to make live-action films. It was a mentally demanding task. So, while I have been making live-action films, I always had a dream of returning to animation."

Director Bong added, "At first, audiences might be surprised or feel it's fresh because it's an animation. But once they actually watch the film, they will feel, 'Ah, Bong Joon-ho hasn't gone anywhere.' They may feel a sense of familiarity and might be delighted to discover his unique signature style."

Director Bong Joon-ho's feature-length animated film "Ally" is scheduled for a worldwide release, with production completion targeted for the first half of 2027.

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*This content was translated by AI.