Emma Stone says Yorgos Lanthimos’ ‘Bugonia’ makes alien conspiracy feel ‘funny, messed up and alive’

Highlights:

Yorgos Lanthimos’s latest film, Bugonia, starring Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons, is a dark, gripping story inspired by real-world anxieties rather than pure dystopia. Premiered at the Venice Film Festival and set for a North American release on October 24, 2025, the movie is an English-language remake of the 2003 Korean cult classic Save the Green Planet!, blending science fiction, horror, comedy, and black comedy elements.

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Plot and themes

Bugonia centers on Teddy (Jesse Plemons), a conspiracy-obsessed man convinced that Michelle Fuller (Emma Stone), the head of a pharmaceutical company, is an alien intent on destroying humanity. Teddy kidnaps Michelle and holds her captive in an isolated cabin, subjecting her to psychological torment to extract the "truth." The film unravels their intense confrontations, with Michelle struggling to navigate her captivity, while Teddy’s motivation is revealed through surreal flashbacks showing how his ill mother’s suffering under Michelle’s company’s practices fueled his paranoia and desire for justice.

Director Lanthimos remarked that despite the heightened scenario, much of the dystopian atmosphere reflects real-world issues: the growing mistrust caused by misinformation, corporate greed, environmental crises, and technological disruptions. He hopes the film triggers critical thinking about the urgent challenges humanity faces, like AI development, warfare, and climate change. The narrative stands out as his first to feature characters grounded in reality, lending a raw and melancholic tone to the movie’s exploration of power, control, and human frailty.

Performances and production

Emma Stone delivers a powerful performance that captures the volatile dynamic of the hostage situation, portraying Michelle as tough, resourceful, and emotionally complex. Jesse Plemons complements her with a chilling yet sympathetic portrayal of Teddy, balancing menace with vulnerability. Aidan Delbis plays Donald, Teddy’s loyal and neurodivergent cousin who aids the kidnapping out of affection. The film also features Alicia Silverstone, who appears in flashbacks as Teddy’s ailing mother.

Bugonia was developed over several years with a screenplay by Will Tracy (known for sharp dark comedies like Succession), and features Lanthimos’s signature blend of dark humor and clinical detachment. The film is described as edgy and sometimes absurd, yet plausibly reflecting contemporary societal paranoia and upheaval. It premiered amid much acclaim at Venice and continues Lanthimos’s fruitful collaboration with Stone, marking their fourth film together following acclaimed works like Poor Things.

Social relevance and impact

Lanthimos stresses that the film is a metaphorical reflection of current global anxieties rather than a simple sci-fi thriller. It delves into themes like conspiracy culture, mistrust of corporations, ecological destruction, and societal collapse. The film’s rare blend of humor and horror is designed to provoke audience reflection on humanity’s precarious state and the choices that lie ahead. Lanthimos sees Bugonia not just as entertainment but as a call to awareness, especially relevant in times of fast technological change and rising crises.

In summary, Bugonia is a striking, intense film that uses its bizarre hostage drama to spotlight very real contemporary issues, making it a compelling work in Yorgos Lanthimos’s oeuvre and an anticipated cinematic event of 2025.