Bugonia (film)

Bugonia is a 2025 black comedy thriller film directed by Yorgos Lanthimos and written by Will Tracy. An English-language remake of the 2003 South Korean film Save the Green Planet! by Jang Joon-hwan, the film follows two young men who kidnap a powerful CEO, suspecting that she is secretly an alien who wants to destroy Earth. A co-production of the United Kingdom, Ireland, South Korea, and the United States, the film stars Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Aidan Delbis, Stavros Halkias, and Alicia Silverstone. Development began in 2020, with Jang attached to direct, Will Tracy adapting the screenplay, and Ari Aster boarding as producer. Jang stepped down as director, citing health concerns, but remained an executive producer. By February 2024, Lanthimos was hired, while Stone joined as an actress and producer. Plemons joined that May, and the film was soon acquired by Focus Features for distribution at the Cannes Film Festival. Principal photography began in July in High Wycombe, England, and Atlanta, Georgia, and during which time the rest of the cast was announced. Additional filming took place in May 2025 in Milos, Greece. With an estimated budget of $45–55 million, Bugonia is Lanthimos's most expensive film. Bugonia premiered in the main competition of the 82nd Venice International Film Festival on August 28, 2025, and was theatrically released in the United States by Focus Features on October 24. It received generally positive reviews, particularly for Stone and Plemons. Both received nominations for their performances at the 83rd Golden Globe Awards and the 32nd Actor Awards. At the 98th Academy Awards, it received four nominations including Best Picture and Best Actress for Stone.