UPDATED: Focus has decided to bump up “Bugonia” by a few weeks. It’s now slated for October 24, 2025 release in select theaters before expanding nationwide on October 31. This move makes a lot of sense, especially since the film has, in all likelihood, a world premiere booked at the Venice Film Festival in early September.
EARLIER: The film only just started production in London, and yet Focus has decided to date Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Bugonia” for wide release on Nov. 7, 2025. That’s a prime awards season launch.
Lanthimos has been very busy of late. He’s coming off last year’s critically praised “Poor Things” and “Kind of Kindness,” which premiered at Cannes, was released this Friday in theaters. All of these films, including “Bugonia,” star Lanthimos muse Emma Stone. In fact, this upcoming film will be the fourth straight that Lanthimos has made with Stone, and that’s not including their recent NYFF-premiered short “Bleat”.
“Bugonia” is a remake of the Korean film “Save the Green Planet!” The plot follows two conspiracy-obsessed young men who kidnap the high-powered CEO of a major company, convinced that she is an alien intent on destroying planet Earth. The film is set to star Stone and Jesse Plemons.
Will Tracy (“Succession,” “The Menu”) penned the screenplay. Ari Aster is producing. This does sound right up Lanthimos’ alley. I haven’t seen the 2003 original, which sits at 91% on Rotten Tomatoes, but maybe I should before this one comes out?