The Writer Discusses the Numerous Wild Twists of Emma Stone's Latest Science Fiction Film

Bugonia screenwriter the writer barely recalls what happens in Save the Green Planet!. That’s a bit of a surprise, given that he wrote the screenplay for the director’s latest adaptation of the 2003 Korean dark sci-fi comedy. Instead of studying the original script for inspiration, the writer behind The Menu viewed the film once, jotted down some thoughts, and began writing.

“I’ve only seen Save the Green Planet the one time,” Tracy says. “I didn’t really remember the film in great detail. My aim wasn't to feel like I had to be faithfully adapting or remaking or paying tribute to another filmmaker's work. The most respectful approach to both films was to have them exist independently.”

While the premise of a mentally unstable man (the actor in the new version) who kidnaps a pharmaceutical executive he’s convinced is an extraterrestrial hiding on Earth is mostly the identical in each movie, the differences are significant. Firstly, Tracy rewrote the lead role, played by a man in the director's original, as a woman. (Lanthimos cast his regular partner the actress in the part.) The endings differ slightly too, in the way they address their central question: Is this person an alien in disguise or not really?

The screenwriter feels that resolution is a bit not the main focus.

“I wasn't really focused on the twist aspect,” he comments. “I didn't want the movie to just be a gadget that performs one surprise, and then after the reveal, it's like: Alright, so what's next?”

However, he has a lot to discuss on the topic. Our discussion with the screenwriter covered Bugonia’s finale and its implications, along with the ways he and Lanthimos collaborated to bring those twists to life.

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

So is Emma Stone an alien or not an alien?

Short answer: Absolutely.

Similar to in Save the Green Planet, the end of Bugonia discloses that Stone’s character, a pharmaceutical executive named Michelle Fuller, is in fact a royal extraterrestrial in disguise. After tricking her kidnapper Teddy (the actor) into ending his own life using her teleportation technology, Fuller transports to her alien vessel.

The reality that this comes as a surprise is a proof to Stone’s acting skills. Throughout the 118-minute film, she maintains suspense through a complex portrayal that may require several rewatches to comprehend entirely.

“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 viewing it again. How those rewatching are going to think,” Tracy says. "She knew the upon a repeat viewing a person watches this movie, They know that I know that I'm… you know?”

Tracy trails off, before continuing, “Thus, her performance needed to reflect of that in her performance.”

Designing the aliens and their vessel

Once the CEO finally does reveal her true nature, we get a quick look of her ship and fellow aliens before Bugonia concludes. Their vessel has a unique design, which the writer shares was intended to look like a marine animal while avoiding futuristic aesthetics.

“[Yorgos] was really fascinated by almost like a jellyfish-inspired shape for the vessel, something very natural,” he comments.

They should feel strangely kind of primitive or ancient.

The Andromedons’ clothing is equally fascinating as their vessel: bulbous dress-like garments made from thick, woven cords. Again, the goal was to go against sci-fi movie tradition.

“Regarding the attire, instead of being futuristic, they [were meant to|aimed to] appear unusually kind of primitive or primitive, and yet also highly decorative and not primitive, because it's such an intricate and beautiful design on those strange knit costumes,” the writer says. He adds that the director “thought of it as being a extremely old society. He wasn't into the idea of any element being smooth and metallic, or a hyper-futuristic look.”

The end of the world (or just humankind)

Perhaps the most significant change between Bugonia and Save the Green Planet is that in the first version, the extraterrestrials respond to their leader's kidnapping and abuse by blowing up planet Earth. Bugonia takes a slightly subtler approach, with its beings choosing to eliminate all mankind, while keeping the planet and its other inhabitants unharmed.

“My intention to do in the screenplay was a vision of Earth after humanity,” Tracy says.

In the movie’s final moments, we see a sequence of scenes of existence across the planet. All humans are deceased where they were located just before, but the world continues. How viewers, are supposed to interpret all this is up for debate. Is the ending of Bugonia hopeful or pessimistic? Are people doomed or deserving of rescue? Would the world be improved in our absence?

The screenwriter does not wish to provide a clear resolution either way.

“Some people find it to be a extremely dark ending, or a tragic finale, a despairing outcome,” he says. “Different audiences see it as being a strangely hopeful or happy ending. I think there are various interpretations to read it.”

The film is currently in select cinemas now, with a wide release on Oct. 31.