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Emma Stone is nearly unrecognisable in the first trailer for 'Bugonia,' her latest collaboration with director Yorgos Lanthimos. The psychological thriller, which made its debut at the Venice Film Festival, features Stone as Michelle Fuller, a formidable pharmaceutical CEO who finds herself in the crosshairs of two conspiracy theorists convinced she’s an extraterrestrial. bent on Earth's destruction.
What’s in the 'Bugonia' Trailer?
The trailer opens with Jesse Plemons' character lamenting that humanity has been deceived into thinking it controls the world, while in truth, something else has always been in charge. As Michelle drives home, her routine evening is violently disrupted when Plemons and Aidan Delbis' characters ambush her outside her house, knocking her unconscious.
When Michelle wakes up, she finds herself imprisoned in what her captors call the headquarters of the Human Resistance. Her long red hair has been shaved, with the men claiming it was to cut off her communication with a supposed mothership. From there, the film spirals into chaos as Michelle struggles to prove her humanity while her captors double down on their delusions. A dark, twisted reimagining of Chappell Roan's chart-topper 'Good Luck, Babe!' heightens the suspense, driving the tension forward as a desperate search for her rescue intensifies.
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Image Courtesy: IMDb
Yorgos Lanthimos Shares Opinion on 'Bugonia'
'Bugonia' represents Stone's fourth collaboration with Lanthimos, joining their previous works: 'The Favourite,' 'Poor Things,' and 'Kinds of Kindness.' Drawing inspiration from Jang Joon-hwan's 2003 Korean sci-fi cult hit 'Save the Green Planet!', the film features a Will Tracy script and was originally shaped in collaboration with director Ari Aster and producer Lars Knudsen.
During a Venice press conference, Stone shared her belief that humanity may not be alone in the universe, admitting she personally thinks aliens could exist. Lanthimos described 'Bugonia' as strikingly relevant to the present, emphasising that, unlike typical dystopian tales set in some far-off future, this film mirrors the urgent challenges happening right now. He highlighted issues such as climate change, ongoing conflicts, the rise of artificial intelligence, and society’s growing numbness as pressing realities that humanity must confront.
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Image Courtesy: IMDb
The cast also includes Toni Collette and Johnny Flynn alongside Stone, Plemons, and others. Lanthimos emphasised that the film's dystopian themes are not pure fiction but a mirror of current global struggles, urging audiences to reflect on the urgency of today’s issues.
'Bugonia' premiered at the Venice Film Festival's Sala Grande recently and will open in a special limited engagement on 24th October before expanding to theatres worldwide on 31st October.
