DirectorYorgos Lanthimoswill reunite with hisKinds of KindnessstarsEmma Stoneand Jesse Plemons for the upcoming drama,Bugonia. The Focus Features project expands the creative relationship between Lanthimos and Stone, adding to their previous joint efforts:The Favourite, the short filmBleat,Kinds of Kindness,andPoor Things.Stone earned the Best Actress Academy Award for her role as Bella Baxter in the latter; the film earned an additional three Oscars. She was also nominated for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar forThe Favourite.
Bugoniais based on the 2003 South Korean sci-fi filmSave the Green Planet!It follows two conspiracy-obsessed young men who kidnap the high-powered CEO of a major company, convinced that she is an alien intent on destroying planet Earth.
Bugoniawas developed for English adaptation by Ari Aster(Beau is Afraid) and Lars Knudsen under Square Peg, their production banner. The two will produce alongside Lanthimos, Element Pictures, Jerry Kyoungboum Ko of CJ ENM, and Stone via her Fruit Tree banner with her husband. The script is written by Emmy Award winner Will Tracy, whose notable credits includeThe Menu, Succession, Regime,andLast Week Tonight with John Oliver.
Kinds of Kindness
Kinds of Kindness is a 2024 comedy-drama film by writer-director Yorgos Lanthimos. Split across segments, Kinds of Kindness tells the stories of a man trying to reclaim his destiny, a police officer whose wife returns after being lost at sea only to seem like a different person, and a woman tasked with finding a future spiritual leader.
In a statement (viaVariety), Focus Features' Peter Kujawski shared:
“Yorgos Lanthimos is a cinematic visionary with a singular style that has captivated audiences worldwide. We could not be more excited to partner with him, Emma and the incredible teams at Element, Square Peg and CJ ENM to reimagine this twisted and darkly funny story.”
Kyoungboum Ko added:
“I am thrilled to introduce the intriguing story rooted in Korean cinema’s hidden gem, in collaboration with the ideal team of talent and producers, alongside the reliable studio.I expect that Yorgos will ignite a dynamic chemical fusion with his unique style and the novelty of the narrative.”
Fans of Poor Things Should Revisit Yorgos Lanthimos' Previous Film
Yorgos Lanthimos' Oscar-winning 2018 masterwork arguably remains his best.
Yorgos Lanthimos and Emma Stone’s Latest Collaboration
While production forBugoniahas yet to commence, Lanthimos and Stone’s latest collaboration,Kinds of Kindness, will land in theaters this summer. The absurdist anthology film, which includes three interconnected stories about people searching for meaning and purpose in their lives, premiered on Friday, May 17, at the Cannes Film Festival. It follows a man who seeks to break free from his predetermined path, a cop who questions his wife’s demeanor after her return from a supposed drowning, and a woman who searches for an extraordinary individual prophesied to become a renowned spiritual guide.
The film has been well-received by critics (it currently holds a 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and MovieWeb’s Richard Fink called it “excellent” and compared it toMagnolia) and received a six-minute standing ovation at the Grand Theatre Lumiere during its Cannes premiere.
Stone and Yanthimos have been vocalabout their appreciation for working together. During an interview withDazedwhile promotingPoor Things, the two shared they’d work on anything together. During theKinds of Kindnesspress conference at Cannes, Stone spoke highly of Lanthimos, saying she trusts him “beyond the trust I’ve ever had for any director.”
Lanthimos is a celebrated auteur known for his dark and absurdist films. In addition to his Stone collaborations, his credits include acclaimed works likeDogtooth,The Killing of a Sacred Deer, and the Oscar-nominatedThe Lobster.
Stone will also reunite with herThe Curseco-star Nathan FielderforCheckmate, a chess-centered drama based on the true story of the controversial match between Magnus Carlsen and Hans Niemann. Fielder will direct the film under A24’s banner, with Stone producing. Casting remains under wraps.
Kinds of Kindnessis set for release on August 19, 2025.
