‘Bugonia’: The black comedy thriller climbing the Netflix chart
Netflix trends have a way of highlighting gems that often slip our eyes from plain sight, and this week’s ultimate trendsetter might be the black comedy thriller, starring Emma Stone, Bugonia.
In the week of April 27th to May 3rd, the Oscar-nominated thriller debuted on the most popular movies chart in the United States, ranking seventh, right above Minions: The Rise of Gru.
While the sudden rise of Bugonia is not exactly a surprise, it is indeed fueled by a mix of factors. Firstly, it recently landed on Netflix US on April 26th, giving it a massive second life on streaming, thanks to the streamer’s persistent algorithmic push towards new content.
What also comes into play, without a doubt, is the Lanthimos-Stone appeal, as Bugonia marks the fourth collaboration between director Yorgos Lanthimos and Oscar-winning Emma Stone, following The Favourite, Poor Things, and Kinds of Kindness. Their star-studded partnership has solidified a strong fan base over the years, offering spectators a must-watch brand of high-quality cinema.
Although the sci-fi thriller struggled commercially when it hit theatres in late 2025, grossing around $43million from a reported budget of $55million, now that viewers can watch the movie online with a Netflix subscription, Bugonia is finally reaching a much larger audience, as it should.
Similarly, the movie’s rise on the Netflix chart is boosted by the lingering award-season buzz as Stone received her seventh Oscar nomination for her role in Bugonia, making her one of the youngest actors to reach the milestone.
Finally, the most important factor that could have possibly contributed to the movie’s surprise appearance on the Netflix charts is the cinematic legacy it is backed by. For those unaware, the Oscar-nominated movie serves as a remake of the South Korean cult classic Save the Green Planet! by Jang Joon-hwan.
So, in case you’re yet to hit the play button, here’s a little context to get you there. Bugonia follows a conspiracy-obsessed Teddy, who, along with his cousin, Don, abducts Michelle, a powerful CEO of a pharmaceutical company, convinced that she’s an alien impersonating a human, in a desperate attempt to destroy Earth once and for all.
While the suspicion might initially feel bizarre, the line between truth and reality blurs gradually, with Bugonia emerging as a satirical critique and exploration of modern conspiracy theories, corporate greed, and human detachment.