Bugonia Trailer First Impressions - “Save the Green Planet!” Remake Film

The 2003 Korean film “Save the Green Planet!” shocked audiences with its originality and cult energy. Now, in 2025, director Yorgos Lanthimos brings it back to life as “Bugonia.” As soon as the trailer dropped, online reactions exploded: “Emma Stone in Baek Yoon-sik’s role?” “How will Lanthimos interpret this story?” As a longtime fan, I’m genuinely excited to see what new shocks and interpretations this remake will deliver.

Lanthimos’s World and the Rebirth of a Cult Classic

The trailer opens with Lanthimos’s signature bizarre, dreamlike atmosphere. Flowers, bees, and the ominous narration, “We can no longer control it,” set the tone. The chaos, anxiety, and manic energy of the original are reimagined with a slick, unsettling edge. Lanthimos’s unique direction, as seen in “Poor Things” and “The Favourite,” is on full display. Scenes blur the line between reality and fantasy, normal and abnormal, making me curious how the remake expands on the cult sensibility of the original.

Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons – A Cast That Raises Expectations

The biggest buzz is around Emma Stone taking on the lead role originally played by Baek Yoon-sik. Even in the trailer, Emma Stone’s intense gaze and unstable energy dominate the screen. With Jesse Plemons, Alicia Silverstone, and Ash Smith joining her, it’s exciting to imagine how this new cast will embody the strange characters and twisted narrative. There’s even a running joke online: “If Emma Stone doesn’t win an Oscar for this, what will it take?” Expectations for her transformation are sky-high.

A New Take on Cult Cinema, The Aesthetics of Discomfort

Reactions to the trailer are mixed with anticipation and unease: “I want to watch Lanthimos’s movies, but I also don’t,” “The gender-swapped roles and torture scenes make me nervous.” How will the original’s shocking twists and social commentary be filtered through Lanthimos’s unsettling humor and discomfort? The repeated line, “How can you tell she’s an alien? The signs are obvious,” hints at even sharper questions about identity, otherness, and human nature.

This remake swaps the genders of the main characters and is a US-Korea co-production, promising a fresh social context and interpretation. As critics note, “Save the Green Planet!” has achieved cult status internationally, and “Bugonia” looks set to leave a strong impression on global audiences.

Teaser Trailer and Key Points of Anticipation

The teaser racked up ten million views in just two days, proving the intense interest both in Korea and abroad. The visuals—swarms of bees, flowers, and strange characters—showcase Lanthimos’s trademark uneasy, dreamlike style. I’m especially curious how iconic scenes from the original will be reimagined, and what new questions Lanthimos will pose.

Final Thoughts

“Bugonia” isn’t just a remake—it’s a reinterpretation of the cult legacy of “Save the Green Planet!” through Lanthimos’s unique lens and global sensibility. The trailer alone stirs up a mix of discomfort, curiosity, and excitement. This fall, I can’t wait to experience the shock and questions of “Save the Green Planet!” all over again, reimagined for a new era with “Bugonia.”