A still from ‘Bugonia’
| Photo Credit: Focus Features
Emma Stone is at the center of a bizarre abduction in the first trailer for Yorgos Lanthimos’ Bugonia, which premiered Thursday to coincide with the film’s debut at the Venice Film Festival.
The black comedy, distributed by Focus Features, follows Michelle Fuller (Stone), a high-profile corporate executive targeted by two conspiracy theorists who believe she is an alien plotting humanity’s downfall. Jesse Plemons plays Teddy, the ringleader of the kidnapping, while Aidan Delbis appears as his accomplice Don. The cast also includes Stavros Halkias and Alicia Silverstone. The film is scheduled for release on Oct. 24.
The trailer opens with Michelle presenting herself as a polished business leader, delivering platitudes about diversity and empowerment. But the façade quickly unravels when it’s revealed she is reading off a company script. Soon after, Teddy and Don set their plan in motion, abducting her outside her home.
Michelle awakens to find her head shaved and is told her hair was removed to prevent her from “contacting [her] ship.” Attempting to reason with her captors, she warns, “In the next 48 hours, the police and the FBI will begin a statewide manhunt. I am crucial. In all humility, I can say that. Think of it like you abducted the governor, but worse.” Despite her pleas, Teddy remains convinced she is “alien filth” responsible for environmental collapse.
The trailer closes on a tense dinner table confrontation, underscoring the film’s mix of satire, paranoia and surreal humor — hallmarks of Lanthimos’ filmmaking style.
Early reviews from Venice describe Bugonia as “weird and subversive,” with critics highlighting Stone and Plemons’ performances as standouts. The project marks the latest collaboration between Lanthimos and Stone, who previously worked together on The Favourite and Poor Things.
Published – August 31, 2025 01:02 pm IST
