The Writer Details the Many Surprising Turns of Emma Stone's Latest Sci-Fi Film

Bugonia screenwriter Will Tracy barely recalls what happens in the original Korean movie. This is somewhat unexpected, given that he penned the script for the director’s latest reimagining of the 2003 Korean dark sci-fi comedy. Instead of poring over the source material for inspiration, the writer behind The Menu watched the film once, jotted down some thoughts, and started the process.

“I’ve only seen Save the Green Planet the one time,” Tracy says. “My memory was foggy on the movie all that well. My aim wasn't to feel like I had to be slavishly following or recreating or honoring someone else's vision. The most respectful approach to both films was to have them each stand on their own.”

While the premise of a mentally unstable man (the actor in the new version) who kidnaps a pharmaceutical executive he’s certain is an extraterrestrial hiding on Earth is pretty much the same in both films, the variations are notable. Firstly, the writer rewrote the lead role, played by a man in Jang Joon-hwan’s first version, as a female character. (Lanthimos chose his regular partner Emma Stone in the part.) The conclusions differ slightly as well, in the way they address their shared core mystery: Is the character an alien in disguise or not?

Tracy feels that answer is a bit not the main focus.

“I wasn't really focused on the twist aspect,” he says. “My intention wasn't for the film to just be a gadget that performs one surprise, and then after the reveal, it's like: OK, well, what else does this toy do?”

Nevertheless, he has plenty to say on the subject. The interview with the screenwriter covered Bugonia’s finale and what it all means, along with the ways he and Lanthimos worked together to bring those twists to life.

Warning: Full spoilers follow for the conclusion of Bugonia.

So is the character an alien or not?

In brief: Absolutely.

Similar to in Save the Green Planet, the conclusion of Bugonia discloses that Stone’s character, a big pharma CEO named her character, is actually a royal extraterrestrial in disguise. Once she manipulates her kidnapper Teddy (the actor) into killing himself using her teleportation technology, Fuller beams back up to her Andromedon spaceship.

The fact that this comes as a surprise is a proof to her performance. During the two-hour film, she maintains suspense through a complex portrayal that may take multiple viewings to fully understand.

“She talked a lot about how it was the first time she had to give a performance where she felt she had to be aware of people watching the movie a second time. What the repeat viewers are going to perceive,” the writer says. "She was aware the second time someone sees this film, They know that I know that I'm… you know?”

Tracy pauses, before adding, “Thus, her performance needed to reflect of that in her acting.”

Creating the aliens and their spaceship

Once the CEO finally does reveal her real identity, we get a brief glimpse of her spaceship and fellow aliens before Bugonia concludes. Their ship has a distinct appearance, which the writer shares was meant to look like a sea creature while avoiding futuristic aesthetics.

“[Yorgos] was really fascinated by almost like a jellyfish-type design for the spaceship, something quite organic,” he comments.

They should feel strangely somewhat primitive or ancient.

The Andromedons’ clothing is equally fascinating as their vessel: rounded dress-like garments made from thick, woven cords. Again, the aim was to go against conventional science fiction.

“Regarding the attire, instead of being futuristic, they [were meant to|aimed to] appear strangely kind of tribal or primitive, and yet also highly decorative and not primitive, because it's a very detailed and beautiful design on those strange knit costumes,” the writer says. He notes that the director “viewed it as being a very ancient civilization. He disliked the notion of anything being smooth and metallic, or some ultra-modern cosmic vision.”

The end of the world (or just humankind)

Perhaps the most significant change between Bugonia and the original is that in the first version, the extraterrestrials respond to their ruler's abduction and abuse by destroying the world. This adaptation adopts a slightly subtler approach, with its beings opting to snuff out all mankind, while leaving the Earth and its remaining creatures unharmed.

“My intention to achieve in the script was a vision of the planet after humanity,” Tracy says.

In the film's conclusion, we see a series of shots of existence across the planet. All humans are deceased where they were standing just before, but the Earth keeps spinning. What we, as an audience, are meant to interpret all this is open to discussion. Is the ending of Bugonia hopeful or pessimistic? Are people doomed or worth saving? Is the planet be improved without us?

The screenwriter isn’t willing to offer a clear resolution either way.

“Some people find it to be a extremely dark ending, or a tragic finale, a despairing ending,” he says. “Other people see it as being a oddly hopeful or happy conclusion. I think there's different ways to understand it.”

The film is currently in select cinemas at present, with a broader opening on Oct. 31.