Yorgos Lanthimos is set to begin shooting his latest project, Bugonia, this July. The six-time Academy Award-nominated director confirmed the news to Collider’s Steve Weintraub while promoting his newest feature, Kinds of Kindness, at the Cannes Film Festival. Bugonia has secured a deal with Focus Features, with Universal Pictures handling international distribution (excluding Korea). The film will once again reunite Lanthimos with his muse, Emma Stone, as well as Jesse Plemons who is fast becoming a favorite of the auteur. Will Tracy has penned the script. The plot centers on two conspiracy-obsessed young men who kidnap the CEO of a major company, believing she is an alien intent on destroying Earth.

Bugonia marks yet another collaboration between Lanthimos and Stone, following their work on The Favourite, Kinds of Kindness, and the recently acclaimed Poor Things, which earned Stone an Academy Award for Best Actress. Stone’s reunion with Lanthimos is always a welcome one, as their past projects have been met with critical acclaim.

Plemons, known for his versatile roles in Fargo, Game Night, and The Power of the Dog, will co-star.

Who Else Is Backing ‘Bugonia’?

Peter Kujawski, Chairman of Focus Features, commented on the collaboration, saying, “Yorgos Lanthimos is a cinematic visionary with a unique style. We are excited to partner with him, Emma, and the teams at Element, Square Peg, and CJ ENM to bring this darkly funny story to life.” Producers Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe of Element Pictures, who have previously worked with Lanthimos, expressed their enthusiasm for reuniting with the director. “We are delighted to be working with Focus Features and reuniting with Yorgos, Emma, and Jesse, as well as many of the talented crew from our recent projects,” they shared.

Jerry Kyoungboum Ko from CJ ENM highlighted the story’s intriguing origins, based on the South Korean sci-fi comedy Save the Green Planet (2003). “I am thrilled to introduce this compelling story from Korean Cinema, in collaboration with such a talented team. Yorgos’s unique style will bring a fresh perspective to the narrative,” Ko stated. Christian Vesper, CEO of Global Drama at Fremantle, also voiced his support. “We are excited that Fremantle is part of Yorgos’s latest project and proud to support the team at Element. Yorgos’s films are consistently innovative and captivating, and we look forward to collaborating on Bugonia,” Vesper said.

With filming set to start in July, anticipation is building for Lanthimos’s next cinematic wonder. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates on Bugonia and other film news. In the meantime, you can watch Poor Things on Hulu.

Poor Things

The incredible tale about the fantastical evolution of Bella Baxter, a young woman brought back to life by the brilliant and unorthodox scientist Dr. Godwin Baxter.

Release Date

December 8, 2023

Main Genre

Horror

Writers

Tony McNamara

Watch on Hulu