Netflix original movies have largely moved from being bizarre little tales that turn into juggernauts and happen to star A-listers to movies that are planned as A-lister Mad Libs-style gatherings where the story sometimes feels secondary to the assembled cast. Lately, however, Netflix films have begun to come into their own as deserved comeback vehicles and as adaptations of beloved YA properties that are destined to be binged into oblivion.
That latter category is where Uglies appears to reside. We will have to wait and see if the viewership agrees when the movie streams in a few weeks, but for the moment, let’s roll out the must-knows before arrival:
Plot
Uglies adapts Scott Westerfeld’s young-adult dystopian novel that revolves around a world with government-mandated cosmetic surgery for every teen. Those who complete the process are declared as “Pretties” and graduate to a presumably cushy and utopian life, but the outcome isn’t always that simple. Joey King’s character, Tally Youngblood, looks forward to the process but then has a realization that takes her on an inner journey as well as a quest to locate a missing friend.
As the film’s director, McG, told Netflix’s Tudum blog, “It’s the belief of the society that if we all look the way we want, you can eradicate conflict.” As Westerfeld has pointed out, however, the sci-fi story has plenty of “McG” touches like people might expect from the director of Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle: “The ‘uglies’ play pranks, ride hoverboards, and sneak into parties. They jump off buildings in bungee jackets! If you put McG in a dystopia, he would totally be that guy.”
From the official movie synopsis:
In a futuristic world that imposes a cosmetic surgery at 16, Tally is eager for her turn to join the rest of society. But when a friend runs away, Tally embarks on a journey to save her that upends everything she thought she wanted.
Joey King has been pumped for this adaptation since signing on to both executive produce and star as Tally. In 2022, the A Family Affair star declared, “The Uglies books meant a lot to me as a kid… what a dream realized! I was 11-years-old when I feel in love with the books.”
If all goes well for the streaming numbers with this film, there are three more books in Westerfeld’s series: Pretties, Specials, and Extras. Stay tuned on that note.
Cast
King will be accompanies by Laverne Cox, Chase Stokes, Keith Powers, and Brianne Tju.
Release Date
Uglies will stream beginning September 13 only on Netflix.
Trailer
From the looks of this trailer, sequel talk will likely happen: