Interview: Lars Knudsen on Launching “Bugonia”, Indie Film Producing, and Working with Ari Aster

Bugonia is an American film adapted from the 2003 Korean cult classic, Save the Green Planet!, directed by Jang Joon-hwan. The original film centers on Lee Byeong-gu (Shin Ha-kyun), an eccentric beekeeper convinced that aliens are conspiring to destroy Earth, and his escalating conflict with a powerful CEO he believes to be one of them. Loved for its unique blend of dark comedy, thriller, and science fiction, it captivated audiences with its unpredictable storytelling and exploration of themes like paranoia, trauma, and the blurred line between reality and delusion. Bugonia heavily draws inspiration from these thematic elements, bringing the story to a broader audience. The film stars an ensemble cast including Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons and Aiden Delbis, with Ari Aster and Lars Knudsen involved in its production. It taps into the same offbeat traigi-comedic tone and emotional intensity that made the original a favorite among both critics and genre fans.

Producer Lars Knudsen shares his insights into the challenges of making Bugonia. He also shares his breaking in story.

A couple of things come to mind that personally affected me while making Bugonia, especially the time it takes. Making a film is a long process — in our case, it took over eight years. CJ Entertainment approached Ari Aster, my producing partner, and me in the summer of 2018 to ask if we wanted to develop a remake of this film.

During those eight years, there were many ups and downs. There were moments when we lost momentum, and it took passion and perseverance to keep going. If it took eight years to make, you can imagine there were plenty of hurdles along the way.

Another challenge was producer collaboration. There were eight producers on this film, and only five of us received official credit. Still, the film could not have been made without everyone’s participation. As a producer, it’s important to know when to step back and let someone else take the lead, even if that’s difficult for the ego.

On this film, Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe from Element Pictures were key collaborators. They are experienced producers who have worked with Yorgos Lanthimos on five films, and Emma Stone has produced with them too.

At one point, we realized it would be better for me to step back and adapt to their way of working, rather than insert myself into a process that was already working smoothly.

That was a big challenge for me. When I was younger, I would have wanted to be more involved. With age, you mature and learn that sometimes it’s better to step back and do what’s best for the film.

Bugonia is based on a relatively obscure 2003 Korean comedy. Ari Aster is obsessed with Korean cinema, and Save the Green Planet! is one of his all-time favorite films.

CJ Entertainment approached us knowing Ari had spoken about the movie publicly and was a big fan.

Lars Knudsen. Photo by Jordan Strauss

Breaking Into The Business

I grew up in Denmark — I’m Danish.

Two weeks before 9/11, I decided to fly to New York. I was determined to work for the film producer Scott Rudin and learn from him. I had read an article in Denmark about him, and it seemed like the thing to do, so I checked into a hostel in Times Square. I got the job and stayed for two years. For me, that was the turning point when I knew I wanted to become a producer.

When I was 18 or 19, I knew I didn’t want to be a director or a writer. Instead, I educated myself about producing by reading books on the subject. The Danish film industry was very different from the U.S. and much harder to break into, so I decided to take my chances in New York.

Working in Scott Rudin’s office became my film school — that’s where I learned everything. That was how my career began.

by Staff Writer

From our in-house editorial team.