The Screenwriter Explains the Countless Wild Twists of Emma Stone's New Science Fiction Movie

The film screenwriter Will Tracy doesn’t really remember what transpires in the original Korean movie. That’s a bit of a surprise, since he penned the screenplay for Yorgos Lanthimos’s new adaptation of the original 2003 film. Rather than studying the original script for ideas, the writer behind The Menu viewed the film once, took a few notes, and started the process.

“I’ve only seen the original the one time,” Tracy states. “I couldn't clearly recall the film in great detail. My aim wasn't to feel as though I had to be faithfully adapting or remaking or honoring someone else's vision. The most respectful approach to both films was to have them be judged separately.”

While the basic plot of a emotionally troubled man (the actor in the new version) who kidnaps a pharmaceutical executive he’s certain is an alien in disguise is largely the identical in each movie, the differences are notable. To start, Tracy re-envisioned the executive character, originally male in Jang Joon-hwan’s first version, as a female character. (The director cast his regular partner Emma Stone in the part.) The endings vary a bit too, in the way they address their central question: Is this person an alien in disguise or not really?

Tracy feels that resolution is somewhat irrelevant.

“I never was really concerned with the surprise element,” he says. “I didn't want the movie to just be a toy that does one surprise, and then once it does that surprise, it's like: OK, well, what else does this toy do?”

However, he has plenty to say on the topic. The interview with the screenwriter covered Bugonia’s ending and its implications, along with the methods he and Lanthimos collaborated to execute those surprises.

Spoiler Alert: Full spoilers follow for the conclusion of the movie.

Therefore, is the character an extraterrestrial or not?

In brief: Yes.

Similar to in the original film, the conclusion of this version reveals that Stone’s character, a big pharma CEO named Michelle Fuller, is in fact alien royalty in hiding. Once she manipulates her captor Teddy (Plemons) into killing himself using her advanced device, Fuller beams back up to her Andromedon spaceship.

The reality that this comes as a surprise is a proof to her performance. Throughout the 118-minute movie, she keeps audiences guessing through a layered portrayal that may take several rewatches to fully understand.

“Emma frequently discussed 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 perceive,” Tracy says. "She was aware the second time a person watches this movie, They know that I know that I'm… understand?”

Tracy pauses, before adding, “So she had to be aware of that in her acting.”

Designing the aliens and their vessel

After the CEO finally does reveal her real identity, we get a brief glimpse of her ship and fellow aliens before the film concludes. Their ship has a distinct appearance, which the writer shares was intended to look like a sea creature while avoiding high-tech visuals.

“[Yorgos] was really fascinated by almost like a jellyfish-inspired shape for the vessel, something very natural,” Tracy comments.

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

The Andromedons’ attire is just as interesting as their vessel: bulbous robes made from large, ropey threads. Once more, the aim was to go against sci-fi movie tradition.

“Regarding the attire, rather than being futuristic, they [were meant to|aimed to] appear strangely somewhat tribal or primitive, and yet also highly decorative and not primitive, because it's such an intricate and elegant creation on those strange knit costumes,” Tracy states. He adds that Lanthimos “thought of it as being a very ancient civilization. He wasn't into the idea of any element being sleek and silver, or a hyper-futuristic look.”

The end of the world (or just humanity)

Maybe the most significant change between Bugonia and the original is that in the first version, the aliens react to their leader's kidnapping and mistreatment by blowing up the world. Bugonia adopts a somewhat more nuanced approach, with its beings opting to eliminate all mankind, while keeping the planet and its remaining creatures intact.

“What I wanted to do in the script was a depiction of the planet after humanity,” the writer says.

In the film's conclusion, we see a series of shots of life across the globe. Every person are deceased where they were located just before, but the Earth continues. How viewers, are supposed to interpret these events is up for debate. Is the ending of the film optimistic or bleak? Is humanity doomed or worth saving? Would the world be improved in our absence?

Tracy does not wish to provide a clear resolution either way.

“Certain viewers see it as a very bleak conclusion, or a tragic ending, a despairing ending,” he states. “Other people view it as being a strangely hopeful or positive ending. In my opinion there are various interpretations to understand it.”

The film is in select cinemas now, with a wide release on Halloween.