Andrew Lowe and Ed Guiney from Irish production company Element Pictures will be co-producing the new alien sci-fi comedy, Bugonia, directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, starring Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons.

Element Pictures has previously worked with both Stone and Lanthimos on multi-Oscar winner Poor Things, and on their most recent film which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, Kinds of Kindness.

Focus Features won domestic rights to distribute the project, with Universal Pictures rolling out the film in global territories, apart from Korea where Parasite producer CJ ENM will release the film.

Bugonia is remake of 2003 South Korean film Save the Green Planet!, and 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.

The alien comedy was developed for English adaptation by acclaimed director Ari Aster and Lars Knudsen for their Square Peg production label.

Aster and Knudson will produce the project with Guiney and Lowe, alongside Lanthimos, Stone and Miky Lee and Jerry Kyoungboum Ko (CJ ENM).

“Yorgos Lanthimos is a cinematic visionary with a singular style that has captivated audiences worldwide,” said Focus Features chairman Peter Kujawski. “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.”

Guiney and Lowe said that they “are so looking forward to working with the brilliant team at Focus Features” and are “delighted to be reuniting with Yorgos, Emma and Jesse as well as many of the great crew we have collaborated with on recent films.”

Lanthimos’ vast filmography includes Dogtooth, the Oscar-nominated The Lobster, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, The Favourite, and Poor Things — which earned 11 Academy Award nominations and four wins this year, including best actress for Stone.

Filming for Bugonia will begin in July 2024.