‘Bugonia’: Yorgos Lanthimos’ Sharp Conspiracy Thriller Shines with Emma Stone’s Career-Best Turn

December 27, 2025 – As 2025 draws to a close, one of the year’s most intriguing and under-discussed gems is Bugonia, Yorgos Lanthimos’ English-language remake of the 2003 South Korean cult classic Save the Green Planet!. Now streaming on Peacock and available digitally following its October theatrical release, this black comedy-thriller reunites Lanthimos with Emma Stone for their fourth collaboration – and arguably their most accessible yet profoundly unsettling.

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Stone stars as Michelle Fuller, the icy, aggressive CEO of a pharmaceutical giant, whose life upends when kidnapped by two conspiracy-obsessed young men: paranoid planner Teddy (Jesse Plemons) and his impressionable, neurodivergent cousin Don (newcomer Aidan Delbis). Convinced Michelle is an extraterrestrial bent on Earth’s destruction, the duo subjects her to increasingly desperate interrogations in a remote basement.

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Scripted by Will Tracy (Succession, The Menu), Bugonia delves into conspiracy culture’s seductive pull – the rabbit holes, mass appeal of wild theories, and the chilling question: What if they’re right? Lanthimos tones down his signature surrealism for a more straightforward thriller, making the paranoia feel eerily contemporary amid misinformation eras.

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Jesse Plemons Says ‘Bugonia’ Was “the Hardest Thing I’ve Ever Done …

At its core is a riveting duel between Stone and Plemons. Stone delivers what many call her finest performance: a cold, calculating captive who manipulates her captors, leaving viewers doubting her humanity. Bald and steely (Stone shaved her head for the role), she’s mesmerizing – convincing, enigmatic, and utterly commanding.

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Plemons, in his most erratic role, embodies Teddy’s unhinged obsession with raw intensity – sweaty, ranting, yet tragically sympathetic. Delbis, a non-professional neurodivergent actor cast for authenticity, brings poignant vulnerability. Supporting turns from Alicia Silverstone and Stavros Halkias add layers.

Premiering at Venice Film Festival and released by Focus Features, Bugonia earned generally favorable reviews (72/100 on Metacritic), praised for performances, topical bite, and Lanthimos’ restraint. Some found it less audacious than Poor Things, but fans argue it’s superior – sharper, more relevant.

Now on Peacock just in time for year-end lists, Bugonia is essential viewing: bonkers, thought-provoking, and unforgettable. In a year of blockbusters, this special, subversive thriller demands attention.

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