What is the plot?

Bugonia opens with a stark juxtaposition between two worlds: Teddy, a disheveled and intense beekeeper, and his cousin Donny, both entrenched in conspiracy theories, prepare themselves physically and mentally for a mission they believe will save humanity. Teddy leads Donny through a grueling regimen of stretching, high steps, and chemical castration to suppress their sexual urges, which Teddy insists are distractions from their purpose. Meanwhile, Michelle Fuller, a powerful and cold CEO of a major pharmaceutical corporation, trains in her sleek, sterile home, engaging in martial arts and consuming vitamins, embodying the clinical detachment of corporate power. The film's tone is set by this contrast--between the paranoid, desperate underclass and the polished, ruthless elite.

Teddy and Donny, clad in grimy silver tracksuits and crude masks, abduct Michelle in a slapstick yet tense sequence outside her mansion. They forcibly shave her head to prevent her alien species from tracking her via DNA in her hair, strip her, cover her in lotion, and chain her to a bed in their basement. Teddy is convinced Michelle is an alien from the Andromeda galaxy, sent to Earth to destroy humanity. His conviction stems from a mix of conspiracy podcasts, fringe online theories, and his own experiments with bees and nature. He believes that by interrogating Michelle and forcing her to summon her mothership, he can negotiate Earth's salvation with her extraterrestrial overlords.

The basement becomes the primary stage for the film's unfolding drama. Teddy interrogates Michelle relentlessly, oscillating between moments of cruelty, absurdity, and dark humor. Michelle remains inscrutable, her motivations ambiguous, embodying the cold, profit-driven corporate figure Teddy despises. Teddy's obsession is fueled by personal pain: his mother, played in brief but poignant scenes by Alicia Silverstone, lies in a coma after undergoing a supposed cure developed by Michelle's company. This personal tragedy propels Teddy's mission beyond mere conspiracy into a desperate act of vengeance and salvation.

Donny, more vulnerable and impressionable, struggles with the harsh regimen and the moral weight of their actions. His autism and naivety contrast with Teddy's fanaticism, creating a tense dynamic between the cousins. Donny's hope for normalcy and connection is crushed by Teddy's insistence on their sacrifice for the greater good. The film explores their relationship deeply, showing how Teddy's radicalization pulls Donny into a world of paranoia and violence.

As the interrogation intensifies, Michelle reveals glimpses of her own complexity. She is not a one-dimensional villain but a figure shaped by the ruthless demands of her corporate empire. The film blurs the lines between victim and perpetrator, human and alien, sanity and madness. Teddy's belief in Michelle's alien nature is never fully confirmed or denied, leaving the audience in a state of uneasy ambiguity.

The narrative escalates when Teddy attempts to force Michelle to summon her mothership. This sequence is charged with surreal tension, blending sci-fi elements with the grim reality of their captivity. Teddy's plan involves a ritualistic cleansing, echoing the ancient Mediterranean ritual of bugonia, where bees are believed to spontaneously generate from the carcasses of dead animals. This metaphor underpins the film's themes of decay, rebirth, and the cyclical nature of destruction.

The film's climax unfolds on the Greek island of Milos, where the final scenes were shot after the director's original plan to film at the Acropolis was denied. Here, the confrontation reaches its peak amid the stark, otherworldly landscape. The mothership's arrival, whether real or imagined, serves as a catalyst for the film's resolution.

In the final moments, the fates of the main characters are sealed with brutal clarity. Teddy's fanaticism leads to his downfall; he is killed in a violent confrontation, the details of which underscore the film's dark tone. Donny, left alone, faces the aftermath of their actions, embodying the tragic cost of their misguided crusade. Michelle's ultimate fate remains ambiguous--whether she escapes, is transformed, or perishes is left deliberately unclear, maintaining the film's tension between reality and delusion.

Throughout Bugonia, political intrigue simmers beneath the surface, embodied in Michelle's corporate empire and its impact on society. The film critiques unchecked capitalism, the dehumanizing effects of technology, and the alienation wrought by modern life. The kidnapping plot serves as a microcosm of larger societal conflicts, with Teddy and Donny representing the disenfranchised fighting against an indifferent system.

The film's tone shifts seamlessly from black comedy to intense psychological drama, with moments of absurdity punctuating the grim narrative. The score by Jerskin Fendrix, performed by the London Contemporary Orchestra, enhances this atmosphere, weaving a haunting soundscape that mirrors the film's themes of paranoia and existential dread.

Bugonia closes on a note of unresolved tension, refusing to offer easy answers. The characters' journeys end in a liminal space between hope and despair, sanity and madness, human and alien. The film's exploration of belief, identity, and survival leaves the audience contemplating the fragile boundaries that define our reality.

What is the ending?

The ending of Bugonia (2025) concludes with the two conspiracy-obsessed young men confronting the CEO they have kidnapped, leading to a tense and surreal climax where the truth about her identity and their beliefs is revealed, resulting in a resolution that leaves the fate of the characters ambiguous but charged with emotional and psychological intensity.

Expanding on the ending scene by scene:

The final act opens in the dimly lit, claustrophobic room where the CEO, played by Emma Stone, remains captive. The two young men, portrayed by Jesse Plemons and Aidan Delbis, are visibly strained, their paranoia and obsession reaching a fever pitch. They interrogate her relentlessly, convinced she is an alien bent on destroying Earth. The CEO, calm yet inscrutable, neither confirms nor denies their accusations, maintaining an eerie composure that unsettles her captors.

As the interrogation intensifies, the atmosphere thickens with tension. The camera lingers on the CEO's shaved head and raw facial expressions, emphasizing her alienation and the surreal nature of the situation. The young men's grip on reality begins to falter; their conspiracy theories unravel as contradictions emerge in their own narratives.

In a pivotal moment, the CEO reveals subtle hints that challenge the kidnappers' worldview, blurring the line between human and alien. This revelation destabilizes the captors, forcing them to confront their own fears and delusions. The scene is charged with psychological complexity, as the power dynamic shifts subtly but decisively.

The climax culminates in a confrontation where one of the young men, overwhelmed by doubt and fear, makes a decisive move--either releasing the CEO or committing an irreversible act. The film does not provide a clear resolution but instead leaves the outcome open to interpretation, underscoring themes of paranoia, identity, and the human need for meaning.

The fate of the main characters is left ambiguous: the CEO's true nature remains a mystery, and the two men's mental states are fractured, suggesting that their obsession has consumed them. The film closes on a haunting note, with the characters isolated in their own realities, reflecting the broader commentary on society's relationship with truth and belief.

This detailed ending encapsulates the film's exploration of conspiracy, alienation, and the fragile boundaries between reality and delusion, conveyed through intense character interactions and a surreal narrative style.

Who dies?

Yes, characters do die in the 2025 film Bugonia. The film centers on Teddy (Jesse Plemons), a conspiracy-obsessed man who kidnaps Michelle (Emma Stone), the CEO of a pharmaceutical company he believes is an alien plotting humanity's destruction. The story involves violent and torturous interactions between Teddy and Michelle, reflecting a dark and intense battle of ideologies.

While specific character deaths and their detailed circumstances are not fully enumerated in the available summaries, it is clear that the film contains scenes of blood, torture, and violence, implying that at least some characters die during the course of the story. Teddy's violent obsession and the tense, unsettling environment of the underground bunker where Michelle is held suggest that deaths occur as part of the escalating conflict. The film's tone is described as a blend of horror, dark comedy, and drama, with a constant sense of dread and brutality.

Unfortunately, the search results do not provide a detailed list of which characters die, nor the exact timing and manner of their deaths. The focus is more on the psychological and thematic aspects of the kidnapping and confrontation rather than a scene-by-scene account of deaths. If you need a precise list with detailed descriptions of each death, that information may only be available after the film's release or from a full viewing or detailed plot synopsis.

Is there a post-credit scene?

The movie Bugonia (2025) does not have any publicly documented post-credit scene. None of the available search results or official sources mention a post-credit scene for this film. The information about Bugonia focuses mainly on Emma Stone's role, her head-shaving for the character, and the film's tone and style, but there is no indication of a post-credit scene or extra footage after the credits.

What motivates the two young men to kidnap the CEO in Bugonia?

The two young men are conspiracy-obsessed and believe that the CEO, played by Emma Stone, is secretly an alien intent on destroying Earth. Their motivation to kidnap her stems from their conviction that abducting her is necessary to save the planet from destruction.

How does Emma Stone's character physically transform for her role as the CEO?

Emma Stone shaved her head for the role, making her face appear more raw and almost alien. This physical transformation is meant to enhance the unsettling and surreal nature of her character in the film.

What is the nature of the relationship between the two kidnappers and the CEO during the film?

The film explores a tense and psychologically complex dynamic where the two kidnappers' paranoia and obsession clash with the CEO's mysterious and alien-like presence, creating a surreal and unsettling atmosphere that blurs reality and delusion.

Are there any significant locations where Bugonia was filmed that impact the story's atmosphere?

Principal photography took place in High Wycombe, England, and additional filming occurred in Milos, Greece. These locations contribute to the film's surreal and atmospheric tone, with settings that enhance the tension and psychological depth of the story.

How does Bugonia reinterpret the original 2003 South Korean film Save the Green Planet! in terms of plot or character focus?

Bugonia is an English-language remake that retains the core plot of two men kidnapping a CEO they believe is an alien. However, under Yorgos Lanthimos' direction, the film emphasizes surrealism, black comedy, and psychological thriller elements, with a stronger focus on collective paranoia and the absurdity of human obsession, highlighted by Emma Stone's transformative performance.

Is this family friendly?

The movie Bugonia (2025) is not family friendly and is likely unsuitable for children or sensitive viewers. It is a science fiction black comedy with dark, surreal, and intense themes involving kidnapping, conspiracy obsession, and psychological tension.

Potentially objectionable or upsetting aspects include:

  • Kidnapping and captivity scenes that may involve psychological and physical distress.
  • Grotesque or disturbing sequences, including torture-like moments, as the film blends horror and dark comedy elements.
  • Themes of paranoia, manipulation, and social critique that can be unsettling or confusing, especially for younger audiences.
  • Emotional intensity and moral ambiguity, with characters oscillating between empathy and disgust, which may be challenging for sensitive viewers.
  • The film's tone shifts abruptly between dark humor and disturbing content, creating a disorienting experience.

Overall, Bugonia is designed as a provocative, adult-oriented film that explores complex and unsettling ideas rather than light entertainment suitable for children.

Has nudity secns?

Yes, the movie Bugonia (2025) contains severe nudity scenes. According to the IMDb parental guide, the film is rated R and specifically notes "Sex & Nudity: Severe," indicating significant nudity content. The Irish Film Classification Office rates the sex/nudity content as moderate, which still confirms the presence of nudity in the film.

The film features intense and graphic content overall, including violent and disturbing scenes, which aligns with the strong depiction of nudity and sexual content reported.

How many nudity secns

The movie Bugonia (2025) contains severe sex and nudity content, as indicated by the IMDb Parents Guide, which rates the sex and nudity level as "Severe" but does not specify the exact number of nudity scenes. The Irish Film Classification Office rates the sex/nudity content as "Moderate," suggesting some nudity but not extreme.

No detailed breakdown or count of nudity scenes is publicly available in the search results. The film is rated R for strong violent and sexual content, implying multiple or intense scenes involving nudity, but the exact number of such scenes is not documented in the sources found.

In summary, Bugonia has significant nudity and sexual content, but the precise number of nudity scenes is not specified in the available information.