The Screenwriter Details the Many Surprising Turns of the New Sci-Fi Film

Bugonia screenwriter the writer doesn’t really remember what happens in Save the Green Planet!. It's a little surprising, since he wrote the screenplay for Yorgos Lanthimos’s new adaptation of the original 2003 film. Instead of analyzing the original script for ideas, the screenwriter behind The Menu watched the movie a single time, jotted down some thoughts, and started the process.

“I’ve only seen the original once,” the screenwriter states. “My memory was foggy on the movie in great detail. My aim wasn't to feel like I had to be slavishly following or remaking or paying tribute to someone else's vision. The most respectful approach to those movies was to have them be judged separately.”

While the basic plot of a emotionally troubled man (the actor in Bugonia) who kidnaps a pharmaceutical executive he’s certain is an alien in disguise is pretty much the identical in both films, the variations are notable. For one thing, Tracy rewrote the executive character, originally male in Jang Joon-hwan’s first version, as a female character. (The director chose his regular partner the actress in the part.) The endings vary a bit too, in the way they tackle their central question: Is the character an alien in disguise or not?

The screenwriter feels that resolution is somewhat irrelevant.

“I wasn't really concerned with the twist aspect,” he comments. “I didn't want the film to just be a toy that does one surprise, and then once it does that surprise, it's like: Alright, so what's next?”

Nevertheless, he has plenty to discuss on the subject. Our discussion with the screenwriter touched on Bugonia’s finale and what it all means, along with the ways he and Lanthimos collaborated to bring those twists to life.

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

Therefore, is Emma Stone an extraterrestrial or not?

Short answer: Yes.

Just like in the original film, the conclusion of Bugonia discloses that the CEO, a pharmaceutical executive named her character, is actually a royal extraterrestrial in hiding. Once she manipulates her kidnapper Teddy (Plemons) into ending his own life using her advanced device, Fuller transports to her alien vessel.

The reality that this comes as a surprise is a testament to Stone’s acting skills. During the two-hour movie, she keeps audiences guessing through a layered performance that may require multiple viewings to fully understand.

“She frequently discussed how it was the first time she had to act where she felt she had to be aware of people viewing it again. What the repeat viewers are going to think,” Tracy explains. "She was aware the upon a repeat viewing a person watches this movie, They are aware I am conscious of… you know?”

He trails off, before continuing, “Thus, her performance needed to reflect of that in her performance.”

Creating the aliens and their vessel

Once Stone’s character ultimately shows her real identity, we get a brief glimpse of her ship and fellow aliens before Bugonia ends. Their vessel has a distinct appearance, which the writer reveals was intended to look like a marine animal while steering clear of high-tech visuals.

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

The goal was for them to seem oddly somewhat tribal or primitive.

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

“For the costumes, rather than being advanced, they [were meant to|aimed to] feel unusually kind of tribal or basic, and yet also quite ornate and not primitive, because it's such an intricate and beautiful design on those strange knit costumes,” the writer states. He adds that Lanthimos “viewed it as being a very ancient civilization. He wasn't into the notion of anything being sleek and silver, or a hyper-futuristic look.”

The conclusion of the Earth (or only humanity)

Maybe the biggest difference between Bugonia and Save the Green Planet is that in the first version, the aliens respond to their leader's kidnapping and abuse by blowing up planet Earth. This adaptation takes a somewhat more nuanced approach, with its aliens choosing to snuff out all mankind, while keeping the Earth and its remaining creatures intact.

“My intention to achieve in the script was a vision of Earth after humanity,” the writer says.

In the film's conclusion, we see a series of shots of existence across the planet. All humans are deceased where they were located moments earlier, but the world keeps spinning. What we, as an audience, are meant to interpret these events is up for debate. Does the conclusion of the film optimistic or pessimistic? Is humanity doomed or deserving of rescue? Would the world be better off without us?

Tracy isn’t willing to offer a clear resolution either way.

“Some people find it to be a extremely dark conclusion, or a tragic finale, a despairing ending,” he says. “Other people view it as being a oddly hopeful or happy conclusion. I think there are various interpretations to read it.”

The film is in select cinemas at present, with a broader opening on Halloween.