How to watch ‘Bugonia’ at home? Emma Stone’s paranoid sci-fi that messes with your mind is now streaming
The creative partnership behind ‘Poor Things’ is back, and this time it’s trading surreal fantasy for paranoia-fueled satire. ‘Bugonia,’ the latest film from director Yorgos Lanthimos and star Emma Stone, has officially landed on streaming. This gives audiences a chance to experience one of the year’s most unsettling and conversation-starting films from home. The conspiracy thriller, which also features a standout performance from Jesse Plemons, became available to stream on December 26 after a modest theatrical run. Lanthimos, known for films that thrive on discomfort and ambiguity, leans fully into those instincts with ‘Bugonia.’
The movie is a remake of Jang Joon-hwan’s 2003 South Korean cult classic ‘Save the Green Planet!,’ reimagined through Lanthimos’ distinctly off-kilter lens. The result is a story that keeps viewers questioning what they’re watching, who they should believe, and whether the truth even matters in a world built on power and perception. ‘Bugonia’ made its world premiere at the 2025 Venice International Film Festival, where it generated strong early buzz and largely favorable reviews. After its festival debut, the film opened in U.S. theaters on October 31, as per Mashable.
‘Bugonia’ currently holds an 87 percent critics score and an 84 percent audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Awards recognition has followed, with the film earning three Golden Globe nominations and three Critics Choice Award nominations. For viewers who missed the theatrical release, ‘Bugonia’ is now easily accessible at home. The film has been available to buy or rent digitally since November 25, with rentals offering a 30-day viewing window and a 48-hour limit once playback begins. Purchasing the film grants unlimited access with no expiration. And as of December 26, ‘Bugonia’ also began streaming on Peacock, where it joins the platform’s growing slate of Focus Features titles.
Peacock subscriptions currently start at $10.99 per month with ads or $16.99 per month without. Meanwhile, the film centers on Teddy, played by Plemons, a socially isolated beekeeper who spends his days cycling through the city and spiraling deeper into conspiracy theories. Teddy is convinced that humanity’s current collapse isn’t accidental but planned by aliens secretly embedded in positions of power. In his mind, the ultimate proof of this theory is Michelle Fuller, a sharp, intimidating pharmaceutical executive portrayed by Stone. To Teddy, Michelle isn’t just another wealthy CEO, she’s a non-human force manipulating the world for profit.
With the help of his cousin Don, played by Aidan Delbis, Teddy kidnaps Michelle in an attempt to expose what he believes is the ultimate truth. What unfolds isn’t a straightforward thriller but a tense psychological chess match, as Michelle pushes back against Teddy’s accusations while questioning his sanity, motivations, and moral authority. The film wrestles with heavy ideas, including corporate greed, class resentment, environmental collapse, and the fine line between justified suspicion and dangerous delusion. Lanthimos deliberately refuses to offer easy answers, instead placing the audience in the same uneasy space as its characters.
