section_path: Production
section_name: Production
paragraph_text: Production
  
  A film adaptation of Edward Ashton's novel Mickey7 was announced to be in development prior to its publication in January 2022, with Bong Joon Ho writing, directing, and producing for Warner Bros. Pictures and Robert Pattinson in talks to star. Charles Yu wrote additional literary material for the film. Bong was intrigued by the concepts presented in the book, though he made many changes to the characters, including modifying Mickey's personality to be a little more simple minded. He wrote the screenplay in 2021 based on an early draft of the book, and said that none of the characters portrayed were meant to be mirroring active politicians. Being a football fan, Bong Joon Ho renamed some characters after football players: 17 is a shirt number of Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, Anamaria Vartolomei's character is named after Kai Havertz, Steven Yeun's - after Timo Werner, a highly paid player with an underwhelming loan spell with director's favourite football team Tottenham Hotspur. Bong Joon Ho claimed that "Timo" means "conman" in German.
  
  Robert Pattinson was the first actor to come to mind for a performance that required dual roles, and he agreed immediately to take the role after being offered it. Pattinson improvised many lines as Mickey 18, who starts with an aggressive personality, then grows as a person who wants to protect 17.
  
  Bong storyboarded each sequence before filming. Pattinson helped to revise part of the script to give what Bong described as "humor and knowledge of slang that I would have never come across otherwise." Pattinson also partially based his performance on Jim Carrey in Dumb and Dumber, citing similar comedic injuries. Bong maintained that he had final cut privilege, though there was a delay in the editing. To differentiate the two main Mickeys, Pattinson changed his accent for each character, comparing them to Ren and Stimpy from the show of the same name. In the initial script reading, he imitated the voices of Johnny Knoxville and Steve-O from Jackass. Bong told him not to do the Steve-O impression.
  
  Pattinson was confirmed to star in May 2022, with Naomi Ackie, Toni Collette, and Mark Ruffalo joining the cast. In July, Steven Yeun was added to the cast. Tim Key was cast after a phone call, as Bong wanted him specifically for a role. Production began at Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden on August 2, 2022, and concluded in December 2022. Filming was finished in January 2023, with the director working on the ideal cut after.
  
  The film's creepers were designed by Bong and Jang Hee-chul, who has been collaborating with Bong to create monsters for his films since The Host (2006).
  
  The VFX was done by Framestore, DNEG, Rising Sun Pictures, and Turncoat Pictures. DNEG handled all the sequences shot on the ice planet of Niflheim, and created the creepers.
  
  A film adaptation of Edward Ashton's novel Mickey7 was announced to be in development prior to its publication in January 2022, with Bong Joon Ho writing, directing, and producing for Warner Bros. Pictures and Robert Pattinson in talks to star. Charles Yu wrote additional literary material for the film. Bong was intrigued by the concepts presented in the book, though he made many changes to the characters, including modifying Mickey's personality to be a little more simple minded. He wrote the screenplay in 2021 based on an early draft of the book, and said that none of the characters portrayed were meant to be mirroring active politicians. Being a football fan, Bong Joon Ho renamed some characters after football players: 17 is a shirt number of Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, Anamaria Vartolomei's character is named after Kai Havertz, Steven Yeun's - after Timo Werner, a highly paid player with an underwhelming loan spell with director's favourite football team Tottenham Hotspur. Bong Joon Ho claimed that "Timo" means "conman" in German.
  
  Robert Pattinson was the first actor to come to mind for a performance that required dual roles, and he agreed immediately to take the role after being offered it. Pattinson improvised many lines as Mickey 18, who starts with an aggressive personality, then grows as a person who wants to protect 17.
  
  Bong storyboarded each sequence before filming. Pattinson helped to revise part of the script to give what Bong described as "humor and knowledge of slang that I would have never come across otherwise." Pattinson also partially based his performance on Jim Carrey in Dumb and Dumber, citing similar comedic injuries. Bong maintained that he had final cut privilege, though there was a delay in the editing. To differentiate the two main Mickeys, Pattinson changed his accent for each character, comparing them to Ren and Stimpy from the show of the same name. In the initial script reading, he imitated the voices of Johnny Knoxville and Steve-O from Jackass. Bong told him not to do the Steve-O impression.
  
  Pattinson was confirmed to star in May 2022, with Naomi Ackie, Toni Collette, and Mark Ruffalo joining the cast. In July, Steven Yeun was added to the cast. Tim Key was cast after a phone call, as Bong wanted him specifically for a role. Production began at Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden on August 2, 2022, and concluded in December 2022. Filming was finished in January 2023, with the director working on the ideal cut after.
  
  The film's creepers were designed by Bong and Jang Hee-chul, who has been collaborating with Bong to create monsters for his films since The Host (2006).
  
  The VFX was done by Framestore, DNEG, Rising Sun Pictures, and Turncoat Pictures. DNEG handled all the sequences shot on the ice planet of Niflheim, and created the creepers.