Yorgos Lanthimos’s film, Bugonia, unexpectedly hits close to home with its commentary on today’s political issues. While writer Will Tracy didn’t set out to create something so timely, the satirical film resonates deeply. It’s a remake of a 2003 South Korean movie, and follows a conspiracy theorist (Jesse Plemons) who kidnaps a pharmaceutical CEO (Emma Stone), believing she’s an alien intent on destroying Earth. With echoes of real-world anxieties about misinformation and environmental destruction, it’s easy to see why Bugonia feels so culturally relevant.
In a recent interview with MovieWeb, Will Tracy, the writer of Bugonia, discussed how his personal experiences influenced the story. He explained that the anxieties and uncertainties of the COVID-19 pandemic – and its aftermath – were major factors in shaping the script.
I wrote the film while COVID was really impacting our lives, and it feels like we’re still dealing with the aftermath. There was a lot of isolation, fear, and confusion back then – it was hard to know what to believe, or even what the real story was. Nothing felt quite right, and it didn’t feel like anything was moving us forward, either as individuals or as a society.
‘Bugonia’ Showcases the Realities People Create for Themselves
The increasing prevalence of AI and the rapid spread of misinformation are making how people construct their own versions of events online particularly concerning. Writer Tracy points to the character of Teddy, played by Jesse Plemons, as an example. Driven by grief and anger, Teddy creates a self-serving narrative based on a cynical and cruel worldview. As the writer explains, some people essentially create their own reality, and the film explores how Teddy convinces himself of his own ‘truth.’ Interestingly, the writer notes that much of what Teddy believes isn’t entirely false.
The narrative of Bugonia is truly remarkable, but its somber conclusion reveals Lanthimos and Tracy’s intention to explore their concerns about the world through the film. Tracy explained the characters’ motivations, stating that, faced with the world’s problems, people generally respond in one of two ways: they either ignore the issues and focus on personal gain, or they attempt to make a difference. The characters in the movie, Tracy says, are all driven by a desire to preserve something they value.
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2025-11-07 17:05