Bare for the Premiere: How “Bugonia’s” Bald Screening Turned a Red Carpet into a Marketing Spectacle
Free tickets for the bald and the brave: the wild promotional stunt behind Emma Stone’s newest movie.
by Maggie Foster ★ NOVEMBER 2ND, 2025
Design: Maisy Wood
In a world where movie marketing depends on viral moments, “Bugonia” has shaved the competition, literally. On Oct. 20, 2025, Focus Features hosted an advanced screening of the movie at Los Angeles’ Culver Theater with one shocking entry requirement: every attendee had to be bald.
The stunt, which quickly went viral, was part performance art, part marketing genius. Inspired by a pivotal scene in the film where Emma Stone’s character, a pharmaceutical CEO accused of being an alien, is forcibly shaved, the event blurred the line between cinematic fiction and audience participation. By asking fans to mirror the movie’s transformation, “Bugonia” created a one-night-only experience that was as immersive as bizarre. If the attendees were not already sporting a bare scalp, they were offered free on-site shaves before stepping inside.
Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, “Bugonia” is a remake of the 2003 South Korean cult film, “Save the Green Planet!” True to Lanthimos’s reputation for wild, creative movies, this story blends corporate satire, alien conspiracy and grotesque humor. The decision to host a bald screening felt like an extension of his strange, self-aware style; one that invites discomfort and curiosity in equal measure.
Outside the Culver Theater, professional barbers lined the red carpet, razors buzzing as cameras flashed. Moviegoers over the age of 18 could consent to getting their heads shaved and being a part of the stunt. Dozens of attendees documented their transformations on TikTok and Instagram, posting captions like “Bugonia Made Me Bald” and “I did it for Emma Stone.” The visual spectacle, a crowd of freshly shaved moviegoers entering the theater, was exactly the kind of surreal imagery that fuels modern publicity.
For Focus Features, the gamble paid off. The event generated major headlines and conversations about the lengths studios will go to capture attention in an oversaturated entertainment landscape. While some critics dismissed it as a gimmick, others applauded the creativity behind a campaign that linked body image and film narrative in a tangible way.
As “Bugoina” prepares for its wide release on Oct. 31, 2025, the bald premiere stands as a symbol of how far Hollywood has evolved. The creativity of having a premier for not only people who are already bald, but also including the viewers with hair, could also shave their heads shows the evolution of Hollywood premiers. By turning its audience into part of the story, “Bugoina” did not just sell tickets; it sold transformation.
Edited by: Ava Robbins