Main Story and Themes of Mickey 17
Mickey 17 is a 2025 sci-fi movie by director Bong Joon-ho. It’s about a clone named Mickey, played by Robert Pattinson, who works as a disposable worker on an icy planet called Niflheim. The movie talks about big ideas like the greed of capitalism, class differences, the value of life, and oppressive power systems. Some people think the movie’s dictator character, Marshal, played by Mark Ruffalo, and its overall social commentary remind them of Donald Trump and Elon Musk.
Connection to Donald Trump
In the movie, Marshal is a selfish and controlling dictator. Some viewers say he reminds them of Donald Trump because of his overconfident attitude and the way he tries to hold onto power—like how Trump often used the media or tried to control things during his time as a leader. But Bong Joon-ho said, “Marshal isn’t based on one person. He’s a mix of past dictators and bad politicians.” He also added, “If Marshal makes you think of someone today, it just shows history repeats itself.”
I think Marshal isn’t directly attacking Trump. Instead, he’s more of a symbol of bad leadership in general. Trump did use the media a lot and built a big image around himself, and Marshal does similar things. But this feels more like a critique of corrupt power and oppressive systems, not just Trump. Bong’s movies, like Snowpiercer and Parasite, usually focus on bigger system problems, not specific people, and I think Mickey 17 does the same.
Connection to Elon Musk
The movie also criticizes capitalism, showing how it treats people like disposable tools, like Mickey. This made some people think of Elon Musk because he’s a big name in space exploration and technology with companies like Tesla and SpaceX. In the movie, capitalism spreads to space and turns humans into tools, which feels similar to Musk’s plans to colonize Mars with SpaceX. Plus, Musk supported Trump in the 2024 election, which caused some controversy, and that might connect to the movie’s political themes. Musk has been criticized for focusing on his business interests and political views, which some see in the movie’s oppressive leaders.
But I don’t think the movie is directly attacking Musk. Bong Joon-ho usually focuses on criticizing systems, not individuals. If Musk comes to mind, it’s probably because he’s a symbol of capitalism and tech innovation. When the movie came out in February 2025, Musk was in the news a lot for being close to Trump, so that might have influenced how people saw the movie.
My Thoughts
In the end, I don’t think Mickey 17 was made to specifically criticize Trump or Musk. In 2025, Trump was the 47th U.S. president, and Musk was a close advisor to him, so the timing made people connect the movie’s themes to them. But I believe the movie is more about the bigger problems of power and capitalism, leaving room for viewers to think of real-life figures like Trump and Musk. It asks deep questions about how technology and money can push people aside in today’s world. Bong Joon-ho’s movies always have strong social messages, and this one continues that by sharply pointing out the flaws in our modern society.