‘Uglies’ Joey King Netflix Movie: Everything We Know So Far

Netflix is set to present a brand new movie, adapted from the pages of Scott Westerfeld's famed young-adult book, Uglies—a dystopian fantasy. The movie adaptation, of the same name as the book (which is the first in the series), will have Joey King as its lead.

The movie is set in the modern world, some 300 years in the future, where citizens are considered "ugly" before they undergo forced plastic surgeries at age 16, to become "pretty." Joey King will play the main protagonist, Tally Youngblood, who gets caught up in a world where one has to choose between being "ugly" and "pretty."

While the exact release date of the film is yet to be confirmed, it's expected to come out on Netflix before 2024 ends.

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When is Uglies going to be released?

Netflix had confirmed that Uglies will be part of the streaming giant's 2024 lineup, back in February 1st, when they released a list of 50+ movies, shows and more, set to debut on the platform throughout the year.

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Cast and characters in the movie

Joey King has become a familiar face on Netflix after starring in The Kissing Booth trilogy, and she is ready to return as Tally Youngblood in the upcoming Netflix movie, Uglies. It is a character close to King's heart, as she grew up reading the novels. She talked about her experience, with Deadline, while on the red carpet for Bullet Train. The A Family Affair star said:

"The Uglies books meant a lot to me as a kid. Being able to make that and be the lead of those movies and also have so much fun while doing it—what a dream realized! I was 11 years old when I fell in love with the books."

Joey King will star in the upcoming movie (Image via Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)

Alongside Joey King's character as Tally Youngblood, here are the other cast members, also expected to be in the movie:

• Jillian Murray as Ellie Youngblood
• Robert Palmer Watkins as Sol Youngblood
• Moose Ali Khan as Prime Minister Morrell
• Jessica Galinas as General Clayton
• Brett Hoyle as Nico Rodrigo
• Jan Luis Castellanos as Croy
• Kevin Miles as Auryn
• Kelly Gale as Sage
• Zamani Wilder as Astrix
• Ash Maeda as Dex
• Jordan Sherley as An
• Jay DeVon Johnson as Az
• Jason Parks as Cael
• Joe Sterrey as Fox
• Charmin Lee as Maddy
• Kate McSweeney as Emilin
• Laverne Cox
• Chase Stokes
• Brianne Tju
• Keith Powers

The upcoming Netflix movie will have McG in charge of direction, who is also known for directing movies like Terminator Salvation and Charlie's Angels. The film's script has been written by the Emmy-nominated duo Vanessa Taylor and Krista Vernoff.

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What is Uglies all about?

The upcoming Joey King-led movie is an adaptation of the international best-selling book by Scott Westerfeld.

The book follows Tally, who is about to turn 16 and is excited for what lies ahead. She's even more excited to shed her "repellent ugly" persona once she undergoes the imposed cosmetic surgery, that will make her "stunningly attractive" and pretty.

However, her plans are derailed when her new friend, Shay, runs away. The event opens Tally's eyes as she introspects what exactly it means to be pretty. She begins to wonder whether there is a whole new reality to the world she was so eager to be part of. It may not be as "pretty" as she believed it to be, after all. The official logline of Uglies, per Netflix, reads:

"In a futuristic world that imposes cosmetic surgery at 16, Tally is eager to join the rest of society. But when a friend runs away, Tally embarks on a journey to save her that upends everything she thought she wanted."

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Stay tuned for more news and updates on Uglies and other favorite movies, as the year progresses.