Robert Pattinson has a surprise inspiration for his voice in new movie Mickey 17: Ren and Stimpy

Robert Pattinson had a surprise inspiration for his voice work in Bong Joon Ho's new movie Mickey 17: Ren and Stimpy – and his first idea was even stranger.

In the upcoming sci-fi film – based on Edward Ashton's novel Mickey7 – Pattinson plays Mickey, an 'expendable' who is 'reprinted' by his employer upon his death. However, a mix-up means Mickey 17 suddenly comes face to face with Mickey 18, with the former surviving a perilous trip to the world of Niflheim.

To differentiate between the pair (both played by Pattinson), The Batman actor was influenced by Ren and Stimpy, the Nickelodeon cartoon characters from the early-to-mid 1990s.

"It’s a little like Stimpy," Pattinson told Empire of his Mickey 17 voice. "When 18 comes in, it’s a little bit more like Ren."

Remarkably, that wasn't Pattinson's first choice for his distinctive Mickey 17 voice. Instead, that honor falls to a take on Jackass alumni Steve-O and Johnny Knoxville. Unfortunately for the actor, director Bong Joon Ho gave a crushing verdict.

"I love Steve-O’s voice. We did it on the first read-through," Pattinson said. "And Bong was like, 'That voice sounds like nails on a chalkboard.' I was like, 'Is that a good thing?' He was like, 'No.'"

The first trailer for Mickey 17 landed in September, with Pattinson's Mickey(s) being put through the wringer in the sci-fi thriller.

Mickey 17 is set to hit cinemas on January 31, 2025. The cast, led by Pattinson, also features Steven Yeun, Mark Ruffalo, Naomi Ackie, and Toni Collette. 

For more, check out our guides to upcoming movies and movie release dates.