Steven Yeun and Bong Joon Ho (Photo credit: Getty Images)
Steven Yeun is reuniting with Bong Joon Ho to star in the director’s next film.
According to Deadline, Bong’s next film is currently untitled, but is based on Edward Ashton’s novel Mickey7. The film also stars Naomi Ackie, Mark Ruffalo, Robert Pattinson and Toni Collette. Warner Bros. is the studio behind the film.
Bong is set to write, direct and produce via his company Offscreen. Plan B’s Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner, Kate Street Picture Company’s Dooho Choi will also produce. According to Deadline, the film not only serves as the first film Yeun has done with Bong since they last worked together on Okja, but it also means Plan B–Brad Pitt’s production company who also handled Okja–are back working with Bong.
Ashton’s novel follows the titular character who is an Expandable, described as “a disposable employee on a human expedition sent to colonise the ice world Niflheim.”
“Whenever there’s a mission that’s too dangerous–even suicidal–the crew turns to Mickey,” according to the outlet. “After one iteration dies, a new body is regenerated with most of his memories intact. After six deaths, Mickey7 understands the terms of his deal…and why it was the only colonial position unfilled when he took it.”
Even though Okja made American audiences aware of Bong, it was his 2019 Oscar-winning film Parasite that cemented his status in Hollywood.
Yeun had a similar glow-up in Hollywood; even though he’s an American actor and has already amassed a cult fan following via his turn on The Walking Dead, his turn as the patriarchal figure in Minari catapulted him to a different stratosphere in the industry. He can be seen next in Jordan Peele’s Nope, starring Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer. Nope comes to theaters July 22.