The Writer Discusses the Countless Wild Twists of the Latest Science Fiction Movie

The film writer Will Tracy barely recalls what transpires in the original Korean movie. That’s a bit of a surprise, since he wrote the screenplay for the director’s new adaptation of the 2003 Korean dark sci-fi comedy. Rather than poring over the source material for ideas, the screenwriter behind The Menu viewed the film once, jotted down some thoughts, and started the process.

“I watched the original the one time,” Tracy says. “I didn’t really remember the movie in great detail. My aim wasn't to feel like I had to be faithfully adapting or recreating or paying tribute to someone else's vision. The most respectful approach to both films was to have them be judged separately.”

While the premise of a mentally unstable man (Jesse Plemons in Bugonia) who kidnaps a pharmaceutical executive he’s convinced is an alien in disguise is largely the identical in both films, the differences are considerable. For one thing, the writer re-envisioned the executive character, originally male in the director's first version, as a female character. (Lanthimos chose his regular partner the actress in the part.) The conclusions differ slightly as well, in the way they tackle their central question: Is this person an alien in disguise or not really?

Tracy feels that answer is a bit irrelevant.

“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 a single trick, and then once it does that surprise, it's like: Alright, so what's next?”

However, Tracy has a lot to discuss on the topic. The interview with the writer touched on Bugonia’s finale and what it all means, along with the ways he and the director collaborated to bring those twists to life.

Spoiler Alert: Full spoilers ahead for the ending of Bugonia.

Therefore, is Emma Stone an alien or not?

In brief: Absolutely.

Similar to in Save the Green Planet, the conclusion of Bugonia discloses that the CEO, a pharmaceutical executive named her character, is in fact alien royalty in disguise. Once she manipulates her kidnapper Teddy (Plemons) into ending his own life using her teleportation technology, she transports to her alien vessel.

The reality that this is unexpected is a proof to Stone’s acting skills. Throughout the two-hour movie, she maintains suspense through a layered performance that may require several rewatches to comprehend entirely.

“Emma frequently discussed how it was the first time she had to give a performance where she felt she had to be conscious of people viewing it again. How those rewatching are going to think,” the writer explains. "She knew the second time a person watches this film, They know that I know that I'm… understand?”

Tracy pauses, before continuing, “Thus, her performance needed to reflect this awareness in her performance.”

Designing the Andromedons and their vessel

Once the CEO finally does reveal her real identity, we get a quick look of her spaceship and other extraterrestrials before the film concludes. Their vessel has a distinct appearance, which Tracy reveals was intended to look like a sea creature while steering clear of high-tech visuals.

“[The director] was really fascinated by almost like a jellyfish-inspired shape for the spaceship, something very natural,” Tracy comments.

They should feel strangely somewhat tribal or primitive.

The aliens' attire is just as interesting as their ship: rounded robes made from large, ropey threads. Once more, the aim was to defy conventional science fiction.

“Regarding the attire, instead of being futuristic, they [were meant to|aimed to] feel unusually kind of primitive or primitive, and yet also highly decorative and sophisticated, because it's a very detailed and elegant creation on those unusual woven outfits,” the writer states. He adds that Lanthimos “thought of it as being a extremely old society. He wasn't into the idea of any element being sleek and silver, or a hyper-futuristic look.”

The conclusion of the Earth (or only humanity)

Maybe the most significant change between the new film and the original is that in the original Korean movie, the extraterrestrials respond to their ruler's abduction and mistreatment by blowing up planet Earth. Bugonia adopts a slightly subtler approach, with its beings choosing to eliminate all mankind, while keeping the Earth and its other inhabitants intact.

“My intention to achieve in the screenplay was a depiction of Earth post-human existence,” Tracy explains.

In the movie’s final moments, we see a series of shots of life across the planet. All humans are deceased where they were standing just before, but the world continues. How viewers, are supposed to interpret all this is up for debate. Does the conclusion of Bugonia optimistic or bleak? Are people fated to perish or deserving of rescue? Would the world be better off without us?

Tracy does not wish to offer a clear resolution in any direction.

“Some people see it as a very bleak ending, or a sad finale, a despairing ending,” he says. “Different audiences see it as being a oddly hopeful or positive ending. In my opinion there are various interpretations to read it.”

The film is currently in select cinemas at present, with a wide release on Halloween.