Uglies: release date, trailer, cast and everything we know about the dystopian movie

Promo image of Uglies from Netflix
(Image credit: Brian Douglas/Netflix)

What happens when society forces cosmetic surgery on its citizens so that everyone is beautiful and no one is ugly? That's the story in the dystopian movie Uglies on Netflix. Based on a 2005 book of the same name by Scott Westerfeld, Uglies follows a group of people who rise up against a society where beauty is the basis for everything. 

Star Joey King is also an executive producer on the project, and she's been waiting a long time to bring this movie to life after her older sister suggested that she read it while home sick from school. "What’s crazy is my excitement for the story has been at the same level since I was 11 years old," she told Netflix.

McG, who directed Uglies, explained the movie's plot in an interview with Netflix: "Basically what happens is, you’re afforded a surgery when you turn 16 years old so you can look any way you want to look. It’s the belief of the society that if we all look the way we want, you can eradicate conflict."

Here's everything we know about Uglies.

Uglies release date

Uglies premieres Friday, September 13, on Netflix in the US. 

As a Netflix original movie, if you want to watch Uglies you need to have a subscription to the streaming service in order to see it.

Thankfully there are several subscription options available to you. You can view some of the options below:

Uglies premise

Here's the premise of Uglies from Netflix: "In a futuristic dystopia with enforced beauty standards, a teen awaiting mandatory cosmetic surgery embarks on a journey to find her missing friend."

Uglies cast

The cast of Uglies includes Joey King (A Family Affair, The Kissing Booth), Keith Powers (Straight Outta Compton, #REALITYHIGH), Chase Stokes (Outer Banks, Stranger Things), Brianne Tju (Light as a Feather, 47 Meters Down: Uncaged), Jan Luis Castellanos (13 Reasons Why, Tall Girl 2), Charmin Lee (The 5th Wave, Parenthood) and Laverne Cox (Orange Is the New Black, Doubt).

Uglies trailer

Take a look at the trailer for Uglies below:

Uglies | Official Trailer | Netflix - YouTube Uglies | Official Trailer | Netflix - YouTube
Watch On

Uglies director

Uglies is directed by McG, who is known for Terminator Salvation, Charlie's Angels, The Babysitter and 3 Days to Kill

Sarabeth Pollock
Editorial Content Producer

 

Sarabeth joined the What to Watch team in May 2022. An avid TV and movie fan, her perennial favorites are The Walking Dead, American Horror Story, true crime documentaries on Netflix and anything from Passionflix. You’ve Got Mail, Ocean's Eleven and Signs are movies that she can watch all day long. She's also a huge baseball fan, and hockey is a new favorite.  

When she's not working, Sarabeth hosts the My Nights Are Booked Podcast and a blog dedicated to books and interviews with authors and actors. She also published her first novel, Once Upon an Interview, in 2022.