Emma Stone’s film Bugonia, released widely over Halloween weekend, has set a new box office record for director Yorgos Lanthimos. The movie, a remake of the Korean film Save the Green Planet! by Jang Joon-hwan, follows Stone’s character who is abducted by a conspiracy theorist convinced she is an alien.
Bugonia earned an estimated $4.4 million domestically during its opening weekend, surpassing Lanthimos’ previous wide-release record set by Poor Things with $2.9 million. This milestone marks the highest wide opening for any Lanthimos movie to date, according to box office reports.
Box Office Performance and Financial Outlook
The black comedy has currently grossed $5.5 million in the domestic market. Despite this initial success, the film’s $45 million budget—which makes it Lanthimos’ most expensive project so far—means it has considerable ground to cover before becoming profitable. For comparison, Lanthimos’ earlier film Poor Things earned $34 million domestically and $111 million worldwide, representing his highest-grossing effort.
Although this cinematic year has been challenging for many releases, Bugonia might gain further traction heading into the holiday season. The film has also received strong critical praise, holding an 86% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Critical Acclaim and Awards Potential for Emma Stone
Bugonia premiered at the Venice Film Festival in August, and Emma Stone quickly became a standout contender for the Best Actress category at the Oscars. One notable aspect generating buzz was Stone’s decision to shave her head for the role, a choice she described as terrifying during an interview.
“because I am not awake there, I was like, play dead, basically, play dead.”
Emma Stone, Actress
If Stone wins, she could make Oscar history by becoming the first actor since Katharine Hepburn to win three Best Actress awards. Hepburn holds the record with four Oscars in leading roles for films such as Morning Glory and On Golden Pond.
Collaborative Success Between Lanthimos and Stone
Emma Stone and Yorgos Lanthimos have formed a highly successful creative partnership, with several of their movies earning Academy Award nominations and wins. Lanthimos received Best Director nominations for Both Poor Things and The Favourite, while Stone won her second Oscar for the former. Bugonia also reunites Lanthimos with Jesse Plemons, marking their second collaboration after Kinds of Kindness.
Currently, Lanthimos has announced a break from filmmaking with no new projects in development, and Stone also has no upcoming films slated.
Current Availability and Cast Overview
Bugonia is currently showing in theaters. The cast includes Emma Stone as Michelle and Jesse Plemons as Teddy, contributing strong performances to the film’s distinctive narrative.
