The School for Good and Evil: release date, reviews, trailer and everything we know about the Netflix fantasy movie

Kerry Washington and Charlize Theron in The School for Good and Evil
Kerry Washington and Charlize Theron in The School for Good and Evil (Image credit: Netflix)

A magical school is ready to open its doors. No, not Hogwarts, but The School for Good and Evil, a new Netflix original movie. Based on a popular fantasy novel series, The School for Good and Evil is going to be a star-studded affair for Netflix, but can it join some of their other 2022 original movie hits like The Adam Project and Hustle?

Here is everything we know about The School for Good and Evil.

When is The School for Good and Evil release date?

The School for Good and Evil is now available to stream on Netflix, debuting on the streaming service on October 19. 

Of course, if you want to watch The School for Good and Evil, you are going to need a Netflix account.

What is The School for Good and Evil about?

The School for Good and Evil is a movie adaptation of the young adult book series by Soman Chainani released in 2013. Here is a description of the movie from Netflix:

"Best friends and misfits Sophie and Agatha couldn’t be any different. Sophie’s a golden-haired seamstress who dreams of becoming a princess, while Agatha has a grim aesthetic perfect for an aspiring witch. One night under a blood red moon, a powerful force sweeps the two girls away to the School for Good and Evil — where the true stories behind every great fairy tale begin. Upon their arrival, something doesn’t seem right. Sophie is dropped into the School for Evil, led by the glamourous and acid-tongued Lady Lesso, and Agatha is enrolled in the School for Good, overseen by the sunny and kind Professor Dovey. As they navigate their diverged destinies and attend classes with the children of other famous storybook characters, the two friends must find a way back to their rightful schools."

The School for Good and Evil reviews — what the critics are saying

Early reviews aren't too glowing for the YA fantasy movie. Variety calls The School for Good and Evil a "derivative magic teen franchise," while The Hollywood Reporter sums it up by saying that the school-set movie deserves a failing grade.

Official Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic scores are not yet available.

Who is in The School for Good and Evil cast?

Playing the roles of Sophie and Agatha are Sophia Anne Caruso and Sofia Wylie, respectively. Some of Caruso’s biggest credits include The Sound of Music Live! and a guest role on the show Evil. Wylie is a singer/actress that has starred in Andi Mack and High School Musical: The Musical — The Series.

Those are the two main students, but the faculty at The School for Good and Evil is filled with A-listers. Charlize Theron (Mad Max: Fury Road, Fast X) plays the School of Evil’s Lady Lesso; Kerry Washington (Scandal, The Prom) plays the School of Good’s Professor Dovey; and Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All At Once, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) is Professor Anemone at the School of Good.

Other confirmed cast members include Laurence Fishburne (The Matrix), Kit Young (Shadow and Bone), Rachel Bloom (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend), Peter Serafinowicz (Guardians of the Galaxy), Mark Heap (Friday Night Dinner), Jamie Flatters (Avatar: The Way of Water), Freya Theodora Parks (Here We Go), Demi Isaac Oviawe (The Young Offenders), Kaitlyn Akinpelumi (Tin Star), Briony Scarlett (Harlots) and Broadway legend Patti LuPone.

We've got you covered if you tant to know more about The School for Good and Evil cast.

Is there a The School for Good and Evil trailer?

The official trailer for The School of Good and Evil is here, teasing the place where all of the fairy tale legends got their start. Check it out and a previous teaser trailer for the movie directly below. 

How long is The School for Good and Evil?

The School for Good and Evil has a runtime of two hours and 27 minutes.

What is The School for Good and Evil rated?

The School for Good and Evil is rated PG-13 in the US and 12 in the UK for "violence and action, and some frightening images."

Who is directing The School for Good and Evil?

Paul Feig is the director of The School for Good and Evil. Feig is a Hollywood veteran, having directed a number of popular movies, particularly comedies, including Bridesmaids, The Heat, Spy and A Simple Favor. The School for Good and Evil is Feig’s first real step in the fantasy genre (2016’s Ghostbusters fits more more as a sci-fi/comedy).

Feig is working off a script that he penned with Mary Poppins Returns scribe David Magee and The Shape of Water writer Vanessa Taylor.

Michael Balderston

Michael Balderston is a DC-based entertainment and assistant managing editor for What to Watch, who has previously written about the TV and movies with TV Technology, Awards Circuit and regional publications. Spending most of his time watching new movies at the theater or classics on TCM, some of Michael's favorite movies include Casablanca, Moulin Rouge!, Silence of the Lambs, Children of Men, One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest and Star Wars. On the TV side he enjoys Only Murders in the Building, Yellowstone, The Boys, Game of Thrones and is always up for a Seinfeld rerun. Follow on Letterboxd.