Bong Joon Ho’s latest flick, Mickey 17, has clung to the top spot at the weekend box office for three straight weeks. But its steam is running out, and it’s still nowhere near hitting the 3 million viewer mark.
At first, Mickey 17 seemed poised to smash that milestone by the weekend. Yet, as it enters its third week, the film is facing a fierce showdown with a wave of fresh releases, causing presale ticket numbers to take a nosedive.
As of 7 a.m. on March 17, Mickey 17 had slipped to fourth place, with just around 16,700 presale tickets sold.
Launched on February 28, Mickey 17 follows the story of Mickey, an “expendable” worker who’s constantly resurrected after dying on perilous missions. But after his 17th death, he’s presumed gone for good—until a new version, Mickey 18, is activated, sparking a wild chain of unexpected twists.
The film’s production reportedly cost a hefty USD118 million. According to Variety, “With global sales also looking bleak, Mickey 17 is unlikely to break even at the box office.”
Despite being Bong Joon Ho’s first project in six years since his Oscar-winning triumph with Parasite (2019), Mickey 17 has yet to make a major splash, keeping its shaky financial performance in the spotlight. – BOOM!