From Box Office Bomb to Streaming Sensation: Robert Pattinson’s Surprising Sci-Fi Comeback!

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There are two types of avoiding typecasting: one is what most actors do, and the other is Robert Pattinson’s unique approach. Known primarily for his role in the Twilight series, Robert Pattinson has created an unexpectedly extensive and varied filmography over the last few years. His roles have spanned underrated A24 productions, Christopher Nolan blockbusters, stepping into the Batman suit, a Studio Ghibli production, and even science fiction. This year, Robert Pattinson revisited the sci-fi genre in Bong Joon-ho’s Mickey 17. Although critics and audiences gave it decent reviews, the movie flopped at the box office initially. However, much like the character played by Pattinson in the film, Mickey 17 has been revived on streaming platforms.

In the present, Mickey 17 can be streamed on Max, making it the top-viewed movie this week. The screenplay was penned by Bong Joon-ho, based on Edward Ashton’s novel Mickey7. This sci-fi film takes place in a future setting and revolves around Mickey (Pattinson), who signs up as an “expendable” for an interstellar mission to discover a new planet for humanity, while simultaneously trying to evade his Earthly debts. As a test subject, Mickey is repeatedly reprinted using a bio-organic 3D printer following each of his deaths. However, when he fails to die completely before a new clone is produced, he must grapple with the challenges of being a duplicate. The film boasts an impressive ensemble cast featuring Steven Yeun, Mark Ruffalo, Naomi Ackie, and Toni Collette.

Despite having Bong Joon-ho as director and riding high on the success of Parasite, the movie Mickey 17 didn’t catch on at the cinema. With its stellar cast, science fiction theme, and Bong Joon-ho’s reputation, it was expected to draw large crowds, but that didn’t happen. The film earned a total of $131.8 million globally, with only $46 million coming from domestic box office sales.

‘Mickey 17’ Is Robert Pattinson’s Second High-Concept Sci-Fi Movie

Previously noted, Robert Pattinson has made significant strides to distance himself from his Twilight era (a fact that has surprisingly been highlighted by us journalists, for which we apologize, Robert). However, Mickey 17 isn’t the first instance where Pattinson has ventured into space to sidestep Twilight fans. In fact, seven years prior to receiving 17 salaries for the same role in Bong Joon-ho’s film, he portrayed another astronaut in Claire Denis’s High Life.

The movie additionally featured Juliette Binoche, Mia Goth, Ewan Mitchell, and Andre 3000, and was released by A24. Contrasting the offbeat dark humor of “Mickey 17“, “High Life” presented a much more contemplative and slow-paced storyline centered on the solitude of space. Robert Pattinson played Monte, a lone astronaut inhabiting deep space with only his newborn daughter for company. As the film unfolds, we witness Monte’s attempts to care for his daughter while the viewers are left pondering the unsettling enigma surrounding her birth.

It’s possible that Robert Pattinson won’t stay far from science fiction for much longer. At present, there are whispers that he will feature in Denis Villeneuve’s upcoming film “Dune: Messiah” as the character Scytale, although this is not yet verified. For now, he is involved in Christopher Nolan’s production of “The Odyssey.

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2025-05-27 20:34