“Yorgos Lanthimos and Emma Stone Reunite for New Film ‘Bugonia’ with Jesse Plemons”

Oscar-winning actress Emma Stone is Yorgos Lanthimos’ go-to collaborator as he is casting  her as the lead in “Bugonia,” his upcoming film. Jesse Plemons, who co-stars with Stone in Lanthimos’s upcoming film “Kinds of Kindness,” will also feature in the drama. This three-part film had its world premiere on Friday at the Cannes Film Festival. The plot of “Bugonia” centers on two young men with a strong conspiracy theory who abduct a successful CEO because they think she plans to wipe out Earth. Screenwriter Will Tracy (of “Succession” and “The Menu”) wrote the screenplay.

The project’s domestic distribution rights have been acquired by Focus Features. With the exception of Korea, where “Parasite” producer CJ ENM will handle distribution, Universal Pictures will manage the movie’s worldwide distribution. Together with Fremantle, the latter is funding the movie. The rights agreement was mediated by WME Independent and CAA Media Finance.

The project has a long history. Based on the 2003 Korean film “Save the Green Planet,” “Bugonia” Renowned directors Ari Aster and Lars Knudsen created the English version under their Square Peg production banner. Alongside Lanthimos’s longstanding partners Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe (Element Pictures), Aster and Knudsen will produce the project with Lanthimos, Stone, Mickey Lee, and Jinnie Choi from CJ ENM.

The project’s domestic distribution rights have been acquired by Focus Features. With the exception of Korea, where “Parasite” producer CJ ENM will handle distribution, Universal Pictures will manage the movie’s worldwide distribution. Together with Fremantle, the latter is funding the movie. The rights agreement was mediated by WME Independent and CAA Media Finance.

Johnson, Shapiro, Slewett & Kole, WME, The Lede Company, and Anonymous Content are Stone’s representatives. David Matlof, an attorney, and TalentWorks are Plemons’ representatives.

“Dogtooth,” “The Lobster,” “The Killing of a Sacred Deer,” “The Favourite,” and the triumphant “Poor Things,” which garnered 11 Academy Award nominations this year and won four, including Best Actress for Stone, are just a few of the works by the prolific Lanthimos.