Get ready for a mind-bending cinematic experience that blends sci-fi, dark humor, and a dash of controversy—because Bugonia, the latest collaboration between director Yorgos Lanthimos and Emma Stone, is here to challenge everything you thought you knew about alien invasions and human paranoia. But here’s where it gets controversial: Is this remake of the South Korean cult classic Save the Green Planet a genius reinterpretation or a risky departure from the original? Let’s dive in.
Bugonia is set to hit theaters in a special limited engagement on October 24th before going wide on October 31st, just in time to add a twist to your Halloween plans. If you’ve been following along, you might have caught the teaser trailer a few months back or the full trailer released a month ago. Now, the supposedly final trailer has dropped, and it’s a wild ride—check it out above. But what’s it all about? Imagine a world where conspiracy theories collide with reality, and two young men, obsessed with the idea that aliens are plotting Earth’s destruction, kidnap a high-powered CEO (played by Emma Stone) they believe is one of the invaders. Sounds intense, right? And this is the part most people miss: it’s not just a sci-fi thriller—it’s a dark comedy that questions the line between genius and madness.
The original Save the Green Planet, directed by Joon-hwan Jang, follows a disillusioned beekeeper named Byun-gu who kidnaps a businessman he’s convinced is an alien from Andromeda. With the help of his girlfriend, Sooni, Byun-gu tortures the man in a desperate bid to save humanity. But as the story unfolds, it becomes clear that Byun-gu’s motivations might be more personal than planetary. The film is a battle of wits, wills, and sanity, leaving audiences questioning who the real villain is. Bugonia takes this premise and gives it a modern twist, with Stone leading a cast that includes Jesse Plemons, Aidan Delbis, Stavros Halkias, and Alicia Silverstone.
Here’s where it gets even more intriguing: when the remake was first announced over four years ago, Joon-hwan Jang was set to direct. But the reins were ultimately handed to Lanthimos, known for his eccentric and thought-provoking films like The Favourite and Poor Things. The screenplay was penned by Will Tracy, a writer on HBO’s Succession and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, who also co-wrote the genre-bending film The Menu. With producers like Ed Guiney, Andrew Lowe, and Ari Aster on board, expectations are sky-high.
But here’s the bold question: Does Bugonia honor the original’s balance of humor and horror, or does it lean too heavily into one? And more importantly, in an era of remakes and reboots, does it bring something truly new to the table? Let us know what you think in the comments below. Whether you’re a fan of the original or a newcomer to this bizarre tale, Bugonia promises to be a conversation starter—and maybe even a game-changer for sci-fi comedy.
