Regarding upcoming book-to-screen adaptations, so many are coming out that it’s almost hard to keep track. From the Austin Butler-led The Bikeriders to the new adaptation of The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, there is so much to look forward to. And now, another adaptation is finally on track to release – The Uglies, after being in production hell for years.
But what else do we know about The Uglies movie? When might it come out? Who is going to star? Considering all your questions, here is what we know so far about The Uglies and what you can look forward to.
What Is The Uglies Premiere Date?
The Uglies has no set premiere date as of writing this in October 2023, which is a little surprising. The movie, based on the book Uglies by Scott Westerfeld, was announced in September 2020 by Deadline, where it was also confirmed that Joey King would star (and produce). It was also reported that McG would direct, as we’ll get into later.
Check out why we feel this is the perfect time to adapt Uglies into a book.
Filming took place a while ago, which we will also speak on, so it’s surprising that we do not have a set release date. Also confirmed from that Deadline article was that the movie was to premiere on Netflix.
The Netflix 2023 movie schedule has been packed with plenty of releases, but The Uglies is not one of them, at least not yet. If anything, keep an eye out for a possible date on the 2024 movie schedule, because the end of the year is approaching, and with no trailer yet, 2023 is looking less likely.
Joey King Stars
As mentioned above, Joey King will star in the leading role of The Uglies. The actress even got the chance to talk about her upcoming role in the film with Deadline in August 2022, saying it was “a dream realized.”
It was very exciting for me. The Uglies books meant a lot to me as a kid. Being able to make that and be the lead of those movies and also have so much fun while doing it–what a dream realized! I was 11 years old when I fell in love with the books.
King has undoubtedly made a name for herself over the last few years. She appeared in the great Hulu series The Act, which garnered her many award nominations, starred in the Netflix trilogy The Kissing Booth, and the Hulu release The Princess.
The actress also had a co-starring role in 2022's Bullet Train, so she’s been on a roll. And I, for one, can’t wait to see what she brings to the table for The Uglies.
Keith Powers, Laverne Cox, And More Co-Star
While Joey King is set to star in The Uglies, several other names have been confirmed as well. Announced in October 2021 by Deadline, Keith Powers, Brianne Tju, and Chase Stokes were all set to co-star in the film.
In December 2021, Deadline announced that Laverne Cox had also joined the cast. None of their character names have been disclosed yet.
Every single one of these additions is a great add-on. Laverne Cox is primarily known for her role in the Orange is the New Black cast. Keith Davis appeared in the film The Tomorrow War. Brianne Tju was a part of the horror show on Amazon Prime, I Know What You Did Last Summer, and Chase Stokes has been a part of the Outer Banks cast for several years.
The Uglies Is A Dystopian Tale About A Society That Wipes Out Physical Differences So Every Person Looks ‘Beautiful’
As described in the Deadline article announcing the movie, The Uglies is based on the book of the same name and is a dystopian tale.
The story takes place in a world with one set standard of beauty. At a certain age (16), everyone goes through a mandatory procedure where their features are altered to conform to this standard of beauty, making everyone “beautiful.”
This sounds like an exciting and intriguing movie – and one I’d love to add to our list of best dystopian films, but let’s wait for the movie to drop first.
The Book Tackles Themes Such As Beauty, Humanity, And More
The book that the movie is based on, Uglies, is a great novel that focuses on several themes. With a premise like the above, the societal standard of “beauty” is a significant theme among the ideas of humanity, identity, conformity, and so much more.
The novel, according to the publishing website of Simon & Schuster, won several awards and was a New York Times Bestseller for many weeks.
McG Directed The Film
As announced above, McG directed The Uglies. The director is primarily known for several major movies, such as the 2000 adaptation of Charlie’s Angels and films like Terminator Salvation, This Means War, and more. He also directed the new Netflix film Family Switch, which will be released later in 2023.
Filming Finished In December 2021
The last thing we know about The Uglies is that filming for the movie ended in December 2021. Joey King, in an interview with CinemaBlend in February 2022, talked about the upcoming film while promoting The In Between on Paramount+, stating that she had “just finished” filming before the holidays:
I just finished filming The Uglies. I just got home from Atlanta, which is where we shot it just before Christmas. I can tell you that I am personally also a huge fan of the Uglies book series and this movie so far, from what I have seen, did on set and got to be a part of, it’s so good. I’m so excited.
Hearing that news, a trailer for the movie might come soon, but one can only hope. With no updates besides a few from Joey King speaking on filming finishing, maybe we'll get to learn a little more soon.
As we all wait for The Uglies, be sure to check out some movies based on books that are streaming for free. We all need something to pass the time.
