“All my life, I wanted to be pretty,” Joey King’s Tally says in the opening moments of the Uglies trailer.
In a futuristic society, 16-year-olds can receive a cosmetic procedure that will erase flaws and make them pretty. The surgery allows teens to show society who they want to be. Tally was originally excited to get the surgery, but when her friend runs away, Tally discovers that the organization behind the surgery might be looking to control its citizens. This leads Tally to venture outside the city’s limits to The Smoke, a secret refuge for those rebelling against the government.
“I was told these lies my whole life,” Tally tearfully says in the trailer.
Besides King, Uglies stars Outer Banks’ Chase Stokes, Keith Powers, Brianne Tju, Jan Luis Castellanos, Charmin Lee, and Laverne Cox.
McG directs Uglies on a script by Jacob Forman, Vanessa Taylor, and Whit Anderson. Uglies is based on Scott Westerfeld’s young adult series featuring four books: Uglies, Pretties, Specials, and Extras. Producers on the film include McG, John Davis, Jordan Davis, Robyn Meisinger, and Mary Viola.
King has become a reliable movie star for Netflix. King headlined all three films in the popular Kissing Booth trilogy and co-starred alongside Nicole Kidman and Zac Efron in A Family Affair.
For King, Uglies’ journey from page to screen began when she was 11. After reading the book, King knew right then and there that she wanted to play Tally.
“What’s crazy is my excitement for the story has been at the same level since I was 11 years old,” King told Netflix.
King executive produces Uglies alongside Jamie King, Scott Westerfeld, John Fox, and Jenny Hink.
Uglies stream on Netflix on September 13, 2024.
