Bald times at the box office

Fans shave heads to watch Emma Stone's sci-fi comedy 'Bugonia'

Cinema fans in Los Angeles took movie fandom to the next level on Monday night as they arrived bald-headed for an early screening of the absurdist sci-fi comedy film 'Bugonia' - a screening that only admitted those who had freshly shaved scalps.

The film's distributor, Focus Features, issued a unique challenge to audiences: shave your head and you'll get early access to see 'Bugonia', the latest collaboration between Oscar-winner Emma Stone and Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos.

The bizarre marketing stunt turned the foyer of the theatre into a temporary barbershop, with professional stylists buzzing off locks for free entry.

'Bugonia', which will open in select theatres on Friday before a wider US release on October 31, marks another eccentric entry in Lanthimos' growing list of genre-bending films.

The director and Stone previously worked together on the Oscar-nominated 'Poor Things' and 'The Favourite', both of which helped build their cult following for unconventional storytelling and surreal humour.

In the film, Stone plays Michelle Fuller, a powerful pharmaceutical CEO who is kidnapped by two conspiracy-theorist cousins - portrayed by Jesse Plemons and newcomer Aidan Delbis - who are convinced she is an alien.

Their belief is so extreme they shave her head to expose the supposed truth. The story is based on the 2003 South Korean film 'Save the Green Planet!', written and directed by Jang Joon-hwan.

Speaking to Reuters, Stone said she was proud to have survived the physically demanding shoot without injury. "I've broken a lot of bones," she joked, explaining how she initially felt nervous when co-star Plemons tackled her during a scene. "He was completely safe and did an incredible job. I broke no bones."

Lanthimos described the film's tone as a blend of empathy, absurdity, and moral ambiguity. He said Delbis, who like his character is on the autism spectrum, brought a unique perspective to the film.

"That character felt different and had a different sensibility and view of the world. I thought a neurodivergent person would be perfect for this kind of role," he said. The director called Delbis "the soul of the film" and "the voice of logic" amid its eccentric chaos.

For Stone, the story's strength lies in its shifting moral lines. "It's just so fun to not know whose side you're on back and forth throughout the entire story," she said. "Who's in the right, who's in the wrong - they're both kind of right, and they're both pretty wrong."

Outside the theatre in Culver City, the mood was more light-hearted. Fans such as Sam Sherman, who willingly parted with his hair, said the experience was worth it. "I saw a post about it and thought it's the perfect excuse - I get a free haircut and a free movie. It's hard to say no to that," he laughed.

Another attendee, Matthew Lopez, described the screening as "immersive". "It's like, I did it, she did it - I can feel some connection to the story," he said.

For others, the event provided a convenient reason for a makeover. "I like the director, I think he's really good, very weird," said Richard Chong, who showed off his new buzz cut. "My friends hate my bowl cut, so this is for them - and my wife, she really hates it."

Whether it was for the love of cinema, the lure of early access, or the chance to ditch an unpopular hairstyle, 'Bugonia' fans left the screening gleaming - literally - as Lanthimos' peculiar world of shaved heads, aliens, and conspiracies came vividly to life both on and off the screen.