The dystopianUglies, which can serve as a replacement forDivergent, is now streaming on Netflix.Ugliesis adapted from the 2005 novel of the same name by Scott Westerfeld and is the beginning of a larger book series. A film adaptation was first confirmed to be in the works in 2006, yet the project spent the next 14 years in development hell, before going back into development in 2020, withJoey King leadingUglies' castas the protagonist, Tally Youngblood.
Netflix’sUgliesreleases eight years after theDivergentfranchise’s last film adaptation,Allegiant, was released in theaters.Divergentwas a box office success as, according toBox Office Mojo, it grossed $288.9 million against an $85 million budget. The sequels,Insurgentand Allegiant, saw diminishing box office returns as interest waned in the dystopian genre, butUgliesmay help the genre’s resurgencefollowing its streaming debut on Netflix.
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Netflix’s Uglies Is Now Streaming – How The Movie & Story Compare To Divergent
They Share Many Similarities
WhileDivergentwas not published until 2011, it has numerous parallels toUglies, with many of the parallels being hallmarks of most young adult dystopian stories.InDivergent, society is split into five factions, with all citizens undergoing a test at the age of sixteen that determines which faction fits them best. Those who do not fit into any of the factions join the Factionless, outcasts in the society who are denied the opportunities and advantages that are accessible to their fellow citizens.
There are other groups as well, including the Specials, who have a different physical appearance from the Pretties and serve a more nefarious purpose.
InUglies, all citizens are expected to undergo a surgical process at the age of sixteenthat transforms them into Pretties who meet their society’s standard of physical beauty. Prior to the operation,the characters are called Uglies. There are other groups as well, including the Specials, who have a different physical appearance from the Pretties and serve a more nefarious purpose, along with the Smokies, a group of Uglies who escaped the city before becoming Pretties.
Divergent’s protagonist, Beatrice “Tris” Prior, begins to question her society after the test proves that she does not belong to a single faction, whileUglies' Tally questions her society after being informed she will never become a Pretty unless she finds her missing friend, Shay, and where the Smokies reside.Tris and Tally’s initial questions gradually develop into being part of full-blown rebellionsagainst their respective oppressive governments.
How Netflix’s Uglies Can Avoid Divergent’s Movie Series Mistakes
Uglies Can Better Honor Its Source Material
WhiletheDivergentbook series was popular, the films largely proved to be a disappointment. All three installments received rotten critical scores on Rotten Tomatoes, andonlyDivergentreceived a fresh audience score. The adaptations were not faithful to the source material, making it difficult to win over readers, while also feeling too formulaic and predictable to get newcomers and casual audiences to become invested in the dystopian series.
41%
69%
28%
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Netflix’sUgliescan avoid these mistakes by being more faithful to the source material.Uglies' exploration of conformity to superficial expectations is arguably even more relevant in 2024 than it was in 2005, which is grounded in the books through Tally feeling like a relatable teenager, despite the extreme circumstances she faces. Beyond closely adhering to the books,Tally needs to feel like a compelling protagonist whose story is worth continuingto follow in potential sequels, leaving audiences wanting more in a wayDivergentwas unable to achieve.
Netflix’s Uglies Can Revive Hollywood’s YA Dystopian Obsession Of The 2010s
Ugliesmay feel as if it is debuting far too long after young adult dystopian stories dominated popular culture.The timing may work inUglies' favor, though, as enough time has passed for the genre to have a proper resurgence, especially after the success ofThe Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes' adaptation released in 2023. King is already a popular Netflix star fromThe Kissing Boothfilms and can now be the face of a new Netflix franchise.
In addition to Joey King,Uglies' cast includes Laverne Cox as Dr. Cable and Brianne Tju as Shay.
As exciting as it is to get moreHunger Gamesbooks and adaptations, it is potentially more exciting to experience a dystopian story that has never been adapted onscreen before. Between the action, romance, and rebellion against corrupt regimes,Uglieshas all the features that made the genre beloved during the first half of the 2010s.Ugliesis only the beginning of a much larger story that Netflix may be telling for many years to come as the dystopian genre makes a comeback.
Uglies
Cast
In a futuristic society where everyone undergoes compulsory cosmetic surgery at 16 to become “pretty,” Tally eagerly awaits her transformation. However, when her friend goes missing, she embarks on a journey that challenges her beliefs about beauty, conformity, and rebellion, ultimately questioning the foundations of their world.
