Bugonia's Screenwriter Discusses the Numerous Unexpected Turns of the Latest Sci-Fi Film

Bugonia writer Will Tracy has a hazy memory of what happens in the original Korean movie. That’s a bit of a surprise, given that he wrote the script for Yorgos Lanthimos’s new adaptation of the 2003 Korean dark sci-fi comedy. Instead of analyzing the source material for ideas, the writer behind his previous work watched the film once, took a few notes, and started the process.

“I’ve only seen the original the one time,” the screenwriter states. “My memory was foggy on the movie all that well. I didn't want to feel as though I had to be slavishly following or remaking or honoring 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 (Jesse Plemons in Bugonia) who abducts a pharmaceutical executive he’s certain is an alien in disguise is largely the same in both films, the variations are notable. Firstly, Tracy rewrote the executive character, originally male in Jang Joon-hwan’s original, as a woman. (The director cast his frequent collaborator Emma Stone in the part.) The conclusions differ slightly too, in the way they address their central question: Is the character an extraterrestrial or not?

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

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

Nevertheless, he has plenty to discuss on the subject. Our discussion with the screenwriter touched on the film’s finale and its implications, along with the ways he and the director worked together to execute those surprises.

Spoiler Alert: Full spoilers ahead for the conclusion of the movie.

Therefore, is the character an extraterrestrial or not?

In brief: Yes.

Just like in Save the Green Planet, the end of Bugonia reveals that Stone’s character, a pharmaceutical executive named her character, is actually a royal extraterrestrial in hiding. After tricking her captor the unstable man (the actor) into killing himself using her advanced device, Fuller beams back up to her alien vessel.

The reality that this comes as a surprise is a testament to her performance. During the 118-minute film, she maintains suspense through a complex portrayal that may take multiple viewings to comprehend entirely.

“Emma talked a lot about how it was the initial instance she had to give a performance where she felt she had to be conscious of people viewing it again. What the repeat viewers are going to perceive,” Tracy says. "She was aware the upon a repeat viewing someone sees this film, They are aware I am conscious of… understand?”

Tracy trails off, before adding, “So she had to be aware this awareness in her performance.”

Creating the Andromedons and their spaceship

Once the CEO finally does reveal her real identity, we get a quick look of her ship and other extraterrestrials before Bugonia concludes. Their vessel has a unique design, which the writer shares was meant to look like a sea creature while avoiding high-tech visuals.

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

The goal was for them to seem strangely kind of primitive or ancient.

The Andromedons’ clothing is equally fascinating as their ship: rounded robes made from large, ropey threads. Again, the goal was to defy conventional science fiction.

“For the costumes, instead of being futuristic, they [were meant to|aimed to] appear strangely somewhat tribal or primitive, and yet also highly decorative and sophisticated, because it's such an intricate and beautiful design on those strange knit costumes,” Tracy states. He adds that the director “thought of it as being a extremely old society. He wasn't into the notion of anything being smooth and metallic, or a hyper-futuristic look.”

The end of the Earth (or only humankind)

Maybe the biggest difference between the new film and the original is that in the original Korean movie, the aliens respond to their leader's kidnapping and abuse by destroying the world. Bugonia adopts a slightly subtler approach, with its beings choosing to snuff out all mankind, while leaving the planet and its other inhabitants intact.

“What I wanted to achieve in the screenplay was a vision of the planet post-human existence,” the writer explains.

In the film's conclusion, we see a series of shots of existence across the planet. All humans lie dead where they were standing just before, but the Earth continues. How viewers, are meant to interpret all this is up for debate. Is the ending of Bugonia hopeful or pessimistic? Is humanity doomed or deserving of rescue? Is the planet be improved without us?

Tracy does not wish to offer a clear resolution either way.

“Some people see it as a extremely dark conclusion, or a tragic finale, a despairing ending,” he says. “Other people view it as being a strangely hopeful or positive ending. In my opinion there's different ways to read it.”

The film is in limited theatrical release at present, with a wide release on Oct. 31.