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Focus Features has acquired worldwide rights to Yorgos Lanthimos’ latest project Bugoniaa remake of the South Korean sci-fi comedy Save the green planet, which sees the Greek director return once again with Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons. The trio is here in Cannes holding the competition title Types of charitywhich had its world premiere on Friday.
The focus will be released Bugonia in the United States, with Universal Pictures distributing the title internationally (excluding South Korea). It’s the second deal for Focus Features announced at Cannes this week (Focus has picked up the Woody Harrelson film). Last breath a few days ago), but this would be a notable coup for the studio given that Lanthimos’ previous Oscar-winning titles Favorite And Bad things And so was Kahn’s competitor Types of charity All were handled by Searchlight for distribution.
Bugonia The film revolves around two conspiracy-obsessed young men who kidnap a high-ranking CEO of a major corporation, convinced that she is an alien bent on destroying planet Earth. It’s another new team-up for Lanthimos with producers Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe of Element Pictures, who will produce with Lanthimos, Square Peg’s Ari Aster, Lars Knudsen, Stone via its Fruit Tree banner, and CJ ENM’s Jerry Kyungboum Ko.
This will be an English language version of the 2003 South Korean sci-fi comedy Save the green planetwhich had great success on the international festival circuit and won two Korean Film Awards.
“Yorgos Lanthimos is a cinematic visionary with a unique style that has captured the attention of audiences around the world,” said Peter Kujawski, President of Focus Features. “We couldn’t be more excited to partner with him, Emma, and the amazing teams at Element, Square Peg, and CJ ENM to reimagine this twisted and darkly funny story.”
“We are very much looking forward to working with the great team at Focus Features and are thrilled to be reunited with Yorgos, Emma and Jesse as well as many of the great crew we have collaborated with on recent films,” added Guiney and Louie.
Kyungbum Ko added, “I am thrilled to present the exciting story rooted in the hidden gem of Korean cinema, in collaboration with the perfect team of talents and producers, along with the trusted studio. I expect Yorgos to spark a dynamic alchemical fusion with his unique style and narrative freshness.”
Christian Vesper, CEO of Global Drama at Fremantle, added: “We are delighted to have Fremantle on board with Yorgos’ latest project and proud to support the fantastic team at Element. Yorgos’ films are consistently innovative and captivating, and we are thrilled to be joining him and all the great partners at Bugonia“.
Fremantle will take a majority stake in Element Pictures in 2022. The Anglo-Irish group, which emerged as one of the 2024 Cannes finalists, will come to Cannes this year with three films in the official selection: Competition Title Types of charity, which reunites Lanthimos with his longtime writing partner Efthymis Philippou; The first directorial experience for French actor Ariane Lapid September says; And I’m not a witch The second feature from director Rungano Nyoni On becoming a guinea fowl.
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