Bugonia's Writer Discusses the Numerous Unexpected Turns of the Latest Science Fiction Movie

Bugonia writer Will Tracy doesn’t really remember what happens in Save the Green Planet!. This is somewhat unexpected, since he crafted the screenplay for the director’s new reimagining of the original 2003 film. Instead of studying the original script for ideas, the screenwriter behind The Menu watched the film once, took a few notes, and began writing.

“I’ve only seen the original the one time,” Tracy states. “My memory was foggy on the movie all that well. I didn't want to feel like I had to be slavishly following or remaking or honoring someone else's vision. The fairest thing to both films was to have them exist independently.”

While the basic plot of a emotionally troubled man (Jesse Plemons in the new version) who kidnaps a pharmaceutical executive he’s certain is an alien in disguise is pretty much the identical in each movie, the differences are considerable. Firstly, the writer rewrote the lead role, played by a man in the director's first version, as a female character. (The director chose his regular partner Emma Stone in the role.) The endings vary a bit as well, in the way they address their central question: Is this person an extraterrestrial or not?

The screenwriter believes that answer is somewhat not the main focus.

“I never was really focused on the twist aspect,” he comments. “My intention wasn't for the movie to just be a gadget that does one surprise, and then after the reveal, it's like: Alright, so what's next?”

However, Tracy has a lot to say on the topic. The interview with the writer covered Bugonia’s finale and its implications, along with the ways he and the director collaborated to bring those twists to life.

Warning: Complete details ahead for the conclusion of the movie.

So is the character an extraterrestrial or not an alien?

In brief: Absolutely.

Similar to in the original film, the end of this version reveals that the CEO, a big pharma CEO named her character, is in fact alien royalty in hiding. Once she manipulates her kidnapper Teddy (Plemons) into ending his own life using her advanced device, she transports to her alien vessel.

The reality that this is unexpected is a proof to her performance. Throughout the 118-minute movie, she maintains suspense through a layered performance that may take several rewatches to comprehend entirely.

“She talked a lot about how it was the initial instance she had to act where she felt she had to be aware of people watching the movie a second time. What the repeat viewers are going to think,” Tracy explains. "She was aware the second time someone sees this movie, They are aware I am conscious of… you know?”

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

Designing the aliens and their vessel

After the CEO finally does reveal her true nature, we get a quick look of her spaceship and other extraterrestrials before the film ends. Their ship has a unique design, which the writer reveals was intended to look like a sea creature while steering clear of high-tech visuals.

“[Yorgos] was really interested in almost like a jellyfish-inspired shape for the vessel, something very natural,” he says.

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

The Andromedons’ clothing is equally fascinating as their vessel: bulbous robes made from thick, woven cords. Again, the aim was to go against conventional science fiction.

“For the costumes, rather than being futuristic, they [were meant to|aimed to] feel strangely somewhat primitive or basic, and yet also quite ornate and sophisticated, because it's such an intricate and elegant creation on those strange knit costumes,” the writer says. He adds that Lanthimos “viewed it as being a extremely old society. He wasn't into the idea of any element being sleek and silver, or some ultra-modern cosmic vision.”

The end of the Earth (or just humankind)

Maybe the most significant change between the new film and the original is that in the original Korean movie, the extraterrestrials respond to their leader's kidnapping and abuse by destroying the world. This adaptation takes a slightly subtler approach, with its beings choosing to eliminate all human life, while leaving the planet and its remaining creatures intact.

“What I wanted to achieve in the script was a depiction of the planet post-human existence,” the writer explains.

In the movie’s final moments, we see a sequence of scenes of existence across the globe. All humans lie dead where they were standing moments earlier, but the world keeps spinning. What we, as an audience, are meant to interpret all this is up for debate. Is the ending of Bugonia optimistic or pessimistic? Are people fated to perish or deserving of rescue? Is the planet be better off in our absence?

The screenwriter isn’t willing to offer a clear resolution in any direction.

“Certain viewers find it to be a extremely dark ending, or a tragic finale, a hopeless ending,” he states. “Different audiences view it as being a oddly optimistic or positive conclusion. I think there's different ways to read it.”

Bugonia is in limited theatrical release now, with a wide release on Oct. 31.