Honestly, at this point, Emma Stone and Yorgos Lanthimos are basically the cinema world’s most chaotic married couple. They just can't quit each other. After the fever dream that was Poor Things and the anthology weirdness of Kinds of Kindness, they’ve gone and done it again.
Emma Stone new film is titled Bugonia, and if you thought her previous roles were out there, you haven't seen anything yet. This isn't just another prestige drama. It’s a full-blown, sci-fi black comedy that features Emma as a high-powered CEO who might—or might not—be an actual alien from another galaxy.
She literally shaved her head for this. Like, actually buzzed it all off.
What is Bugonia Actually About?
The plot is a total trip. It’s based on a 2003 South Korean cult classic called Save the Green Planet!, which is famous for being one of the most tonally inconsistent (in a good way) movies ever made. In the remake, we follow two guys who are absolutely deep in the conspiracy theory rabbit hole. These dudes, played by Jesse Plemons and newcomer Aidan Delbis, become convinced that a major corporate executive is an ET sent here to wipe us out.
Naturally, they kidnap her.
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They take her to a basement and start performing "tests" to prove she’s not human. It sounds dark, and it is, but it’s handled with that signature Lanthimos dry humor that makes you feel slightly uncomfortable while you're laughing. You've got Jesse Plemons wearing a beekeeper suit and ranting about how the bees are dying because of a secret plot by the "queen," who happens to be Emma’s character, Michelle.
It's weird. It's loud. It’s exactly what we expect from this duo now.
Why the Shaved Head Matters
People lost their minds when Emma showed up on red carpets last year with a pixie cut, and then eventually a buzzed look. It wasn't just a style choice. In the film, her captors shave her head because they believe her hair acts as an antenna to contact her mothership.
The commitment is real.
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Working with screenwriter Will Tracy—the guy who wrote The Menu and worked on Succession—the film leans heavily into that "eat the rich" energy but wraps it in a tinfoil hat. Emma plays Michelle with this cold, terrifyingly efficient corporate energy that makes the conspiracy theorists seem almost... rational? Sorta.
The Cast and the Crew
- Jesse Plemons: After winning Best Actor at Cannes for Kinds of Kindness, he’s back playing the lead kidnapper, Teddy Gatz.
- Alicia Silverstone: She makes a surprising appearance in the film, adding to the eclectic vibe.
- Ari Aster: Interestingly, the director of Hereditary and Midsommar is a producer here, which explains why the movie feels so unsettling.
- Robbie Ryan: The cinematographer behind the fisheye lenses in The Favourite is back, so expect the movie to look stunning and strange.
Is It Already Out?
If you're looking for it right now, you're in luck. Bugonia hit theaters in late October 2025, just in time for a very creepy Halloween release. It did a respectable $40 million at the box office, which is pretty good for a movie where the lead actress spends half the time tied to a chair in a basement.
But here’s the kicker: as of January 2026, it just landed on streaming. You can find it on Peacock.
It’s currently making the rounds in the awards circuit too. Emma Stone is already racking up nominations for the 2026 season, including a nod for the Astra Film Awards and the Alliance of Women Film Journalists. Will she get another Oscar nomination? The buzz says yes. She has this way of making even the most absurd dialogue feel grounded in some sort of warped reality.
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What Most People Get Wrong About Bugonia
A lot of people think this is a straight-up remake. It’s not. Lanthimos changed the ending significantly. The original South Korean version had a very specific, world-ending vibe, but the 2025 version focuses much more on the psychological breakdown between the kidnappers and the victim.
There's also the "alien" question. Without spoiling it, the movie plays with your head. You spend half the time thinking these guys are lunatics and the other half wondering if Michelle is about to sprout tentacles. It’s a masterclass in ambiguity.
What's Next for Emma Stone?
If you can't get enough of her, she isn't slowing down. While Bugonia is the big talk of the moment, she also starred in Ari Aster’s neo-Western Eddington which released in July 2025. She’s also rumored to be attached to a project called Fatale, though that’s still in the "maybe" phase.
Basically, we are living in the "Emma Stone Experimentation Era." She’s done with the safe bets. No more standard rom-coms for a while. She's hunting for the weirdest scripts in Hollywood and making them her own.
Actionable Next Steps:
If you want to stay ahead of the curve for the 2026 awards season, you should watch Bugonia on Peacock this weekend. Pay close attention to the "bee" monologue delivered by Jesse Plemons—it's widely considered the scene that will secure his Best Actor nomination. Also, keep an eye on the production design by James Price; the basement set is filled with "Easter eggs" that hint at the film's real ending if you look closely enough at the background props.