Dark Comedy
Emma Stone and Yorgos Lanthimos Reunite for Surreal Sci-Fi Satire ‘Bugonia’
The celebrated creative partnership between Yorgos Lanthimos and Emma Stone continues to deliver cinematic surprises. Their latest film, Bugonia, has just dropped its second trailer, teasing a surreal, darkly comic blend of sci-fi paranoia and social satire that has already captivated audiences following its Venice Film Festival premiere.
Set for a limited release on October 24 before expanding nationwide on Halloween (October 31), the film sees Stone stepping into one of her most bizarre roles yet — a high-powered CEO abducted by two conspiracy-obsessed men who believe she’s an alien bent on destroying Earth.
The film reunites the Oscar-winning star and her Poor Things director, fresh off their triumph earlier this year, with Focus Features once again backing the project.
A Twisted Tale of Paranoia and Power
Written by Will Tracy (The Menu), Bugonia is an English-language remake of South Korean filmmaker Jang Joon-hwan’s cult classic Save the Green Planet!. In the story, Stone’s character Michelle Fuller is kidnapped by Jesse Plemons (The Power of the Dog) and newcomer Aidan Delbis, who are convinced she’s a cosmic infiltrator responsible for humanity’s downfall.
In true Lanthimos fashion, the film mixes absurd humor, brutal tension, and uncanny visual style. The newly released trailer showcases flashes of corporate boardrooms, forest hideouts, and unnerving interrogation scenes — all wrapped in a surreal pastel palette that feels equal parts The Lobster and Poor Things.
Yorgos Lanthimos Sci-Fi Satire ‘Bugonia’
The supporting cast includes Alicia Silverstone, Stavros Halkias, and Aidan Delbis, with production credits from Lanthimos’ frequent collaborators Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe (Element Pictures), as well as Ari Aster, Lars Knudsen, Miky Lee, and Jerry Kyoungboum Ko.
Early Buzz and Awards Potential
Premiering at the Venice Film Festival, Bugonia drew immediate attention for its audacious tone and performances. Critics praised Stone’s ability to oscillate between corporate cool and alien detachment, while Plemons’ paranoid intensity adds emotional depth to what might otherwise be a farce.
Though reactions were mixed — some calling it “Lanthimos’ strangest yet” — audiences largely agreed it’s a bold, provocative satire about fear, misinformation, and the absurdity of modern belief systems.
Given the team’s Oscar-winning success with Poor Things, industry watchers already predict Bugonia could be a strong contender for the upcoming awards season.
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A Halloween Treat for Fans of the Weird
With Bugonia, Yorgos Lanthimos once again blurs the lines between genre and allegory, turning a science fiction premise into a mirror for human paranoia. As Focus Features prepares for its Halloween rollout, the buzz suggests another visually stunning, thematically daring addition to the Lanthimos canon — one that asks whether the real aliens might be the ones in power all along.
