Bugonia's Screenwriter Details the Countless Surprising Turns of Emma Stone's New Sci-Fi Movie

Bugonia writer the writer barely recalls what transpires in Save the Green Planet!. This is somewhat unexpected, given that he penned the screenplay for Yorgos Lanthimos’s latest adaptation of the original 2003 film. Instead of analyzing the source material for ideas, the screenwriter behind his previous work watched the film a single time, jotted down some thoughts, and started the process.

“I watched the original once,” the screenwriter says. “I didn’t really remember the movie all that well. I didn't want to feel like I had to be faithfully adapting or remaking or honoring another filmmaker's work. The most respectful approach to both films was to have them be judged separately.”

While the premise of a emotionally troubled man (Jesse Plemons in Bugonia) who abducts a business leader he’s certain is an extraterrestrial hiding on Earth is mostly the identical in each movie, the differences are notable. For one thing, Tracy rewrote the lead role, originally male in Jang Joon-hwan’s first version, as a woman. (Lanthimos cast his frequent collaborator the actress in the part.) The endings differ slightly too, in the way they address their central question: Is the character an extraterrestrial or not?

The screenwriter believes that answer is a bit beside the point.

“I never was really focused on the surprise element,” he comments. “My intention wasn't for the movie to just be a toy that does a single trick, and then after the reveal, it's like: Alright, so what's next?”

However, he has plenty to say on the topic. Our discussion with the screenwriter covered the film’s ending and what it all means, along with the ways he and the director worked together to bring those twists to life.

Spoiler Alert: Complete details ahead for the ending of Bugonia.

So is Emma Stone an alien or not?

In brief: Absolutely.

Similar to in the original film, the conclusion of this version reveals that the CEO, a big pharma CEO named her character, is actually alien royalty in hiding. After tricking her captor Teddy (the actor) into killing himself using her advanced device, she beams back up to her Andromedon spaceship.

The fact that this comes as a surprise is a testament to her performance. Throughout the 118-minute movie, she maintains suspense through a layered performance that may require multiple viewings to fully understand.

“Emma frequently discussed how it was the first time she had to give a performance where she felt she had to be aware of people watching the movie a second time. What the repeat viewers are going to perceive,” the writer explains. "She was aware the second time a person watches this movie, They know that I know that I'm… understand?”

He trails off, before continuing, “So she had to be aware of that in her acting.”

Creating the Andromedons and their vessel

After the CEO ultimately shows her true nature, we get a quick look of her ship and fellow aliens before Bugonia ends. Their ship has a distinct appearance, which the writer reveals was meant to look like a marine animal while steering clear of high-tech visuals.

“[Yorgos] was really interested in almost like a jellyfish-inspired shape for the spaceship, something quite organic,” Tracy says.

They should feel oddly kind of tribal or primitive.

The Andromedons’ clothing is just as interesting as their vessel: rounded robes made from thick, woven cords. Again, the goal was to go against conventional science fiction.

“For the costumes, instead of being advanced, they [were meant to|aimed to] appear strangely kind of primitive or primitive, and yet also quite ornate and sophisticated, because it's such an intricate and elegant creation on those unusual woven outfits,” Tracy says. He adds that Lanthimos “viewed it as being a extremely old society. He wasn't into the notion of any element being sleek and silver, or a hyper-futuristic look.”

The end of the Earth (or only humanity)

Perhaps the most significant change between Bugonia and the original is that in the first version, the aliens react to their leader's kidnapping and abuse by blowing up the world. This adaptation takes a slightly subtler approach, with its beings opting to snuff out all human life, while keeping the Earth and its other inhabitants unharmed.

“My intention to do in the screenplay was a vision of Earth post-human existence,” the writer says.

In the film's conclusion, we see a sequence of scenes of existence across the globe. All humans lie dead where they were standing just before, but the world continues. How viewers, are meant to interpret all this is open to discussion. Is the ending of the film hopeful or pessimistic? Is humanity fated to perish or deserving of rescue? Is the planet be better off without us?

Tracy does not wish to provide a definitive answer in any direction.

“Some people find it to be a extremely dark ending, or a sad finale, a despairing ending,” he states. “Other people see it as being a strangely hopeful or happy ending. I think there are various interpretations to understand it.”

Bugonia is currently in select cinemas now, with a broader opening on Halloween.