Published in 2005, Scott Westerfeld’s YA sci-fi novel Uglies tells the story of a society where everyone is considered “ugly” until they are given a treatment at the age of 16 to become “pretty.” In it, Tally Youngblood and several of her friends are reaching the age where they’ll receive the procedure, but they choose to rebel against a society obsessed with looks and conformity. Uglies is the first in a four-book series.
The bestselling novel was optioned for film adaptation in 2006. Since 2006, Americans have endured four and a half presidential elections, the meteoric rise of celebrities like the Kardashians, the development and growth of social media platforms like Instagram, and so, so much more.
Uglies entered what’s colloquially known as “development hell,” and in 2020, it went back into development. Joey King signed on to play the role of Tally, with McG directing and Krista Vernoff as writer. It would be distributed through Netflix.
But still, fans waited, this time through not only a global pandemic but through a writers strike. It seemed like the project, which has now excited more than one generation of YA readers and enthusiasts, was never actually going to come to fruition.
The wait is over.
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Uglies will officially hit Netflix this fall on September 13, after almost 20 years in limbo.
Vanessa Taylor joined Vernoff in writing the film script and King is credited as executive producer on the film. King’s love for the series helped lead her to taking on the role, and her face is likely familiar to YA fans–she’s also starred in the adaptation of The Kissing Booth on Netflix. The cast includes Keith Powers, Brianne Tju, Chase Stokes, and Laverne Cox. Uglies wrapped up production in December 2021, but the writer’s strike and several scenes needing to be re-filmed kept it from an earlier release.
You can set a reminder on Netflix for the film’s release. Keep your eyes peeled over the next few weeks, as it is likely we’ll get not only film stills and a poster, but also a trailer or two.
Westerfeld’s fantasy novel Leviathan, published in 2009, is also set for a Netflix animated adaptation. It is anticipated for 2026.
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