Director Bong Joon Ho explains his new sci-fi film Mickey 17's surprise end title card: "It's a coming-of-age-story"

Warning: the following features spoilers for Mickey 17...

Six years after his last film, which was the incredible Oscar-winning drama Parasite, director Bong Joon Ho's new feature is finally out.

Based on the novel Mickey7 by author Edward Ashton, Mickey 17 follows the life of Robert Pattinson's Mickey Barnes, a man who signs up to be an 'expendable' for a space colony. What this means is that he is sent out on dangerous missions where he dies, with his body being reprinted out each time, introducing us to a new Mickey.

Receiving rave reactions, including from our own Mickey 17 review which awarded the new film five stars, critics are particularly praising how director Bong balances the zaniness with emotion. Whilst Mickey 17 is indeed quite fun, it is also very moving, especially during the conclusion (which you can read about in detail with our Mickey 17 ending explained guide).

Notably the movie ends with a different title card, as 'Mickey 17' changes to 'Mickey 18' then ultimately 'Mickey Barnes', reflecting that this is now what Mickey is known as, thanks to them destroying the human printing machine.

It's also a nod to the fact that earlier on in the movie the beginning title card changed from 'Mickey 17' to 'Mickey 18' as we are introduced to the eighteenth iteration of our protagonist.

Speaking about these two title card changes with GamesRadar+, via a translator, director Bong says it was important for him to do this to fully bring to life Mickey's emotional journey, which he sees as a coming-of-age story.

The filmmaker explains: "So this film is kind of a journey that our main character Mickey takes regarding his selfhood. Most of the film is led by Mickey 17. And then we have the main title, you hear a bell chime, the 17 turns to 18, and then we go to Mickey in the cave, and he goes through all these different stages to finally reclaim his selfhood and find self respect as just Mickey Barnes. And in that sense, it's a coming-of-age story."

Continuing, director Bong also adds that this is why he decided to have Mickey 18 be the last reprinting of our protagonist: "And that's why I chose the number 18, because that's when most societies recognize someone as an adult."

Mickey 17 is out now in US and UK theaters. For more films that should be on your radar, check out our guide to the best upcoming movies of 2025.