When MrBeast recreated Squid Game on YouTube, it felt both contemporary and ancient. Four hundred fifty-six contestants stood beneath pastel staircases. A prize large enough to transform a life hovered at the center.
In Mickey 17, a man signs up to be "expendable." His job is simple and brutal. He dies so others do not have to. Each time he dies, a new body is printed. His memories are restored. His work resumes. Mickey is not immortal. He is replaceable.