Was this helpful?
Thumbs UP Thumbs Down

Yorgos Lanthimos’ ‘Bugonia’ trailer shows Emma Stone at the center of a strange Sci-Fi plot


Emma Stone at Critic Choice Awards.
Table of Contents
Actress Emma Stone in premiere

Emma Stone Faces Alien Conspiracies in Wild New Thriller

Yorgos Lanthimos is back with Bugonia, and it looks as bizarre and brilliant as fans could hope for. The newly released trailer throws Emma Stone into a twisted sci-fi plot filled with paranoia, conspiracy, and dark humor.

With a bee-obsessed kidnapper and a CEO who might be an alien, nothing is as it seems. This strange, stylish mystery is already turning heads, and it’s only just getting started.

Kidnapper in mask talking on smartphone.

The Premise

In the trailer, Jesse Plemons and Aidan Delbis play two men who kidnap Emma Stone’s character. They are convinced she is an alien plotting Earth’s destruction.

The setup mirrors the South Korean cult film Save the Green Planet! but with a fresh gender twist. This premise drives both the sci‑fi mystery and the social satire.

Emma Stone at Critic Choice Awards.

Emma Stone as Michelle Fuller

Emma Stone portrays Michelle Fuller, a high‑powered pharmaceutical CEO. Stone brings intensity and unpredictable nuance to the character, balancing authority with vulnerability.

Her performance appears central to the trailer’s eerie and comedic tone. Fans expect another bold, standout role from this two‑time Oscar winner, and are excited to see her once again on the big screen.

Jesse Plemons at an event

Jesse Plemons as Teddy

Jesse Plemons plays Teddy, a beekeeper‑turned‑conspiracy theorist. In the trailer, he compares workers to bees serving a queen, implying Michelle is that queen.

This metaphor builds underlying themes on class, capitalism, and alienation, all of which are an audience favorites. Plemons’s previous work with Lanthimos bodes well for his compelling performance.

Two men shaking hands

Aidan Delbis’s Role

Aidan Delbis joins as Teddy’s partner in crime, echoing fanatic loyalty, and exciting fans. He punctuates the conspiracy duo’s tension and ideological fervor, causing a stir in the storyline.

His role heightens the unpredictability and paranoia permeating the teaser. Viewers will watch how his character anchors or upends the group dynamic.

alicia silverstone

Supporting Cast Highlights

Alongside Stone, Plemons, and Delbis, the trailer reveals Alicia Silverstone and comedian Stavros Halkias in supporting roles. Their presence expands the world Ted and Don inhabit, whether as accomplices or bystanders.

These casting choices hint at a layered ensemble contributing to tonal shifts. Their talents promise moments of tension or stark absurdity.

Camera on stand behind the screen.

Cinematic Style & Tone

The trailer opens like a kidnapping thriller before veering into surreal sci‑fi. Cinematographer Robbie Ryan uses close angles and muted light to amplify unease.

A mix of dynamics, whispered conspiracies, tense silences, and comedic beats, reveals Lanthimos’s tonal range. The result is a short teaser that feels full‑bloom insane yet tightly composed.

using modern technologies

Thematic Roots

Bugonia explores ideas like class conflict and capitalist exploitation under sci‑fi allegory. Teddy compares workers (humans) to bees exploited by a queen (the CEO).

That metaphor reflects anxiety over economic inequality and worker disposability, but with a spin that’s attractive for the viewers. Such themes feel especially timely in modern cultural context.

ulsan south korea  november 14 2024 a boat docks

Its South Korean Origins

The film is an English‑language remake of the 2003 Korean cult hit Save the Green Planet!. That movie follows a conspiracy theorist who kidnaps a businessman he believes is an alien.

Lanthimos and writer Will Tracy adapt the storyline for Western audiences with gender-swapped protagonist. The remake tailors its message through fresh cultural lens.

A typewriter on a desk, a vintage old writer book.

Writer Will Tracy’s Influence

Writer Will Tracy, known for Succession and The Menu, reimagines the original with sharper satire. His background shows a focus on greed, power, and social critique, proving him to be the perfect choice for the movie’s storyline.

Along with Lanthimos, Tracy updates the story through corporate and economic lenses. Expect crisp dialogue, suspenseful beats, and emotional undercurrents.

A director's chair with a film clapperboard and scattered popcorn sits in front of a brick wall.

Producer Ari Aster Onboard

Ari Aster (Hereditary, Midsommar) co‑produces Bugonia alongside Stone and Lanthimos. His involvement suggests a strategic backing from top-tier horror auteurs, leading to high expectations.

The trailer hints at Aster’s influence in creating psychological dread woven into absurd humor, making things interesting and intriguing. This creative partnership amplifies expectations for art‑house shock and satire.

Cello, violin, piano and score

Music & Score

Composer Jerskin Fendrix, fresh from Poor Things and Kinds of Kindness, scores Bugonia. Known for blending eccentricity with emotional depth, his music may bridge the film’s comedic and uneasy tones.

A vibrant yet unsettling score would align with the high‑concept premise. Fans will listen for aural echoes of Lanthimos’s signature style.

birmingham town hall england

Filming Locations & Techniques

Principal photography occurred in England on film stock, preserving Lanthimos’s favored analog richness. Scenes intended for the Athens Acropolis were moved due to permit barriers; filming later shifted to Milos, Greece.

These decisions reflect creative flexibility and ambition in setting mood. The choices suggest both grandeur and unsettling dislocation.

looking

Close up of calendar page on office desk.

Release Plans

Bugonia arrives in limited U.S. theaters on October 24, 2025, with a wide release on October 31. A Venice Film Festival premiere is also anticipated.

The timing capitalizes on Halloween’s appetite for dark comedy and surreal thrills. Strategic rollout echoes prior Lanthimos films.

If you liked this post, give it a thumbs up!

Read More From This Brand:

Don’t forget to follow us for more exclusive content right here on MSN.

If you liked this story, you’ll LOVE our FREE emails. Join today and be the first to get stories like this one.

This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.

This is exclusive content for our subscribers

Enter your email address to subscribe and get instant FREE access to all of our articles

Was this helpful?
Thumbs UP Thumbs Down
Prev Next
Share this post

Lucky you! This thread is empty,
which means you've got dibs on the first comment.
Go for it!

Send feedback to NashvilleGab

Close Feedback Form



    We appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback about this page with us.

    Whether it's praise for something good, or ideas to improve something that isn't quite right, we're excited to hear from you.