20th Century Fox is living in a fantasy world, and they wouldn’t have it any other way.
According to Variety, they have picked up the rights to the Scott Westerfeld novel Uglies, which is the first in the young adult fantasy trilogy (followed by Pretties and Specials). John Davis will produce with his wife, Jordan.
Uglies is a futuristic story that takes typical teen anxieties (pimples, self-loathing) and spikes them with a fantasy twist. In the tale, kids are called “Uglies” until they reach 16 and get surgery to become the attractive “Pretties”, who then move into the fancy part of town. Trouble hits for one precocious teen that may be denied the surgery, unless she spies on a friend who skipped the operation and joined the rebels.
The premise could be an interesting spin on familiar issues in society. Think "Extreme Makeover" for adolescents (and no, that's not a reality TV pitch I ever want to see happen). In the meantime, keep on the watch for 20th Century Fox’s next big fantasy project Eragon, hitting theaters December 15th.
