9 Best Movies Like Uglies

Netflix’s adaptation of Scott Westerfeld’s hugely popular novel has viewers scouring streaming platforms for the best movies like Uglies. The films in question run the gamut in terms of genre, encompassing sci-fi, dystopian, and young adult (YA) elements. Of course, some of the best Uglies replacements combine all of those categories, capturing the feel of Westerfeld’s dystopian YA story. Led by Joey King’s Tally, Uglies‘ cast of characters live in a world where government-mandated cosmetic surgery is the norm. When people turn 16, they undergo Uglies‘ Transformation, a surgical procedure that turns them into “Pretties.“

Before Uglies‘ ending, Tally learns that the Transformation has a more sinister purpose. The cosmetic procedure creates brain lesions, which dull the Pretties and strips them of their individuality and agency. Outside the City, a rebel group known as The Smoke harbors a secret weapon: a cure that promises to restore Pretties’ ability to think freely. In typical dystopian story fashion, Tally is pulled between the corrupt world she knows and The Smoke. The movies that are most like Uglies incorporate similar themes, often following a protagonist who learns the terrible truth at the center of a utopia or power structure.

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9 The Giver

Directed By Phillip Noyce

The Giver 2.5 1

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Set in a dystopian future where all emotion in humans is suppressed, The Giver follows Jonas, a young man who learns that he will become the next Reciever of Memory, the one person who holds all the memories and emotions of a time before the current suppression. Beginning his training with the current Reciever of Memory, known as The Giver, Jonas begins to experience the full extent of emotions, good and bad, for the first time in his life. Brenton Thwaites stars as Jonas, with Jeff Bridges as The Giver. 

Director Phillip Noyce Release Date August 15, 2014 Studio(s) The Weinstein Company Distributor(s) The Weinstein Company Writers Michael Mitnick Cast Meryl Streep , Odeya Rush , Brenton Thwaites , Taylor Swift , Alexander Skarsgard , Katie Holmes , Jeff Bridges Runtime 97 Minutes Budget $25 million Expand

Based on Lois Lowry’s award-winning 1993 novel of the same name, The Giver is a classic in the dystopian YA canon. Although the film adaptation might not be as strong as the novel, it’s backed by an impressive ensemble, which includes Meryl Streep, Jeff Bridges, and Brenton Thwaites, among many others. The Giver is set in a post-war society — one that has rid humanity of the ability to feel good or bad emotions. A person known as the Receiver of Memory (Bridges) protects everyone else by holding all the emotionally charged memories of the past.

Related Uglies Ending Explained: What Happened To Peris Addressed By Director

Uglies’ director McG discusses what happened to Peris, who has a different fate in the adaptation than in the 2005 novel by Scott Westerfeld.

Just like in Uglies, The Giver features a world that’s meant to be free of envy and jealousy. Aside from the Receiver of Memory, no one can see in color, either, which is somewhat echoed by the sameness of the mandated cosmetic surgery in Uglies. With its YA protagonist and chilling dystopia, The Giver will feel familiar to Uglies viewers. Although the film isn’t the most well-regarded, it boasts a capable cast, striking visuals, and a unique premise. Unfortunately, The Giver doesn’t delve deeply enough into Lowry’s compelling themes to rank higher on a list of dystopian YA movies.

8 Divergent

Directed By Neil Burger

Divergent 2.5 6

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Based on the young adult “The Divergent Series” novels, Divergent is the first film in the franchise that follows a girl named Beatrice Prior, who lives on the fringes of society in a dystopian world. Set to join one of the five factions humans are separated into based on their virtues, Beatrice learns that she is considered a “Divergent,” an independent thinker that she fits into none of the factions. Forced to conceal the truth, Beatrice joins the thrill-seeking Dauntless faction in secret, setting her on a path that will change the world.

Director Neil Burger Release Date March 21, 2014 Studio(s) Lionsgate Distributor(s) Lionsgate Writers Vanessa Taylor , Evan Daugherty Cast Maggie Q , Miles Teller , Theo James , Ashley Judd , Shailene Woodley , Kate Winslet , Jai Courtney Runtime 139 Minutes Budget 88 million Expand

Divergent is another YA dystopian adaptation that boasts sci-fi elements similar to the world-building seen in Uglies. This makes it a solid follow-up film. Based on Veronica Roth’s trilogy of books, the Divergent movies center on Beatrice “Tris” Prior (Shailene Woodley), who, like Tally, is a 16-year-old girl with a daunting choice ahead of her. Set in a post-apocalyptic dystopia, the film sees people divided into factions when they come of age — factions that are based on human virtues. Tris, however, doesn’t fit neatly into any one category, making her “divergent.“

Related Uglies 2: What Happens In The Sequel, Pretties

Tally Youngblood’s story continues in the sequel to Scott Westerfeld’s Uglies book, Pretties – so what happens and is a Netflix sequel still possible?

Much like Tally, Tris must embrace those things that make her different — the characteristics that would otherwise turn her into a societal outcast — and use them to overcome the stringent, controlling dystopia she’s grown up in. Although the first Divergent film is a pretty paint-by-numbers take on the dystopian YA formula, it certainly feels like the closest comp title to Uglies. As a whole, the Divergent trilogy doesn’t rank higher because of its fairly bland world-building and over-reliance on a formulaic plot. While dystopian narratives share tropes, Divergent does little to stand out.

7 Ready Player One

Directed By Steven Spielberg

Ready Player One 3.0 4

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Adapted from Ernest Cline’s novel of the same name, Ready Player One follows Wade Watts, an orphan who desperately wants to win a seemingly-impossible video game competition that would see him win ownership of the OASIS, a sophisticated virtual reality game that had revolutionized modern life. Helped by his friends and racing against time to find the hidden clues before the OASIS is claimed by an evil conglomerate, Wade’s love of the game is put to the test.   

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Director Steven Spielberg Release Date March 29, 2018 Studio(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Distributor(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Writers Eric Eason , Zak Penn , Ernest Cline Cast T.J. Miller , Hannah John-Kamen , Lena Waithe , Mark Rylance , Mckenna Grace , Letitia Wright , Ben Mendelsohn , Ralph Ineson , Simon Pegg , Olivia Cooke , Tye Sheridan Runtime 2h 20m Budget 155–175 million Expand

Based on Ernest Cline’s bestselling novel of the same name, Ready Player One is much more sci-fi-forward than other titles that are similar to Uglies. Set in the near future, Ready Player One sees humanity escaping the horrors of the real world through a virtual reality (VR) game: the OASIS. However, the premise starts to feel a touch more dystopian when teenager Wade Watts (Tye Sheridan) competes against an evil mega-corporation for control of the OASIS. Despite being directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Steven Spielberg, Ready Player One isn’t as compelling as the director’s other adventures.

The over-abundance of pop culture references clouds the film’s core ideas…

It might not resonate the most with Uglies fans, but Ready Player One is worth the watch — if viewers are prepared for its unique approach. In an effort to capitalize on audiences’ nostalgia for various IP and characters, Ready Player One is stuffed to the gills with Easter eggs and pop culture references. However, between these fun references and intense action sequences, the thrilling eye candy can only take the movie so far. The over-abundance of pop culture references clouds the film’s core ideas, turning Ready Player One into a messy but memorable roller-coaster ride.

6 Equals

Directed By Drake Doremus

Equals (2015) 0

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Although it’s more of a sci-fi/dystopian romance than Uglies, Equals hits some familiar notes. The main draw is the film’s cast, which is led by Nicholas Hoult (X-Men: Days of Future Past) and Kristen Stewart (Love Lies Bleeding), who play Silas and Nia, respectively. In the dystopian world of Equals, Silas, Nia, and everyone else are emotionless workers. In fact, if anyone starts to show signs of feeling anything, they’re deemed sick. For fans of Uglies, this concept definitely echoes the Pretty surgery, which dulls the City’s residents and makes them easier to control.

Related Uglies Timeline Explained: When The Movie Is Set

Netflix’s adaptation of the first novel in Scott Westerfeld’s trilogy has viewers wondering about the Uglies’ timeline and when the movie is set.

The over-bearing Collective, which oversees the world of Equals, starts arresting people who show signs of Switched-On Syndrome (SOS), a “disease” that restores human emotions. While the romance plot of Equals has some fresh spins on well-worn themes, the world-building isn’t fully realized enough to set the movie apart from other genre fare. That is, for those who have read works like We or Brave New World, Equals doesn’t offer too many surprises. A derivative science-fiction story, Equals is elevated — though only slightly — by its central performances and captivating production design.

5 Ender’s Game

Directed By Gavin Hood

Ender’s Game 3.0 2

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Based on the bestselling novel by Orson Scott Card, Ender’s Game stars Asa Butterfield as the titular character, a gifted young man from a future Earth who is selected to join the ranks of a vast human army launching a counter-attack on a hostile alien race. Butterfield is joined by a cast that includes Hailee Steinfeld, Harrison Ford, Ben Kingsley, and Viola Davis. 

Director Gavin Hood Release Date November 1, 2013 Studio(s) Lionsgate Distributor(s) Lionsgate Writers Gavin Hood Cast Asa Butterfield , Ben Kingsley , Abigail Breslin , Viola Davis , Harrison Ford , Hailee Steinfeld Runtime 114minutes Expand

A military sci-fi flick, Ender’s Game definitely contains more action than Uglies — but it shares enough DNA with the Netflix movie to be a fun watch for fans of Westerfeld’s work. Based on Orson Scott Card’s classic 1985 novel, Ender’s Game centers on Andrew “Ender” Wiggin (Sex Education‘s Asa Butterfield), a child prodigy who’s sent to a military school at a young age to prepare for an impending war. In the world of Ender’s Game, an alien race known as the Formic’s unleashed a devastating genocide, and humanity is determined to make them pay.

Related Why Books Are Banned In Uglies

Netflix’s adaptation of Scott Westerfeld’s dystopian YA novel has many viewers wondering why, exactly, books are banned in the Uglies movie.

Undoubtedly, the extraterrestrial invasion and epic space battles set Ender’s Game apart from something like Uglies. However, the tenacity that the movies’ protagonists show in the face of their worlds’ controlling powers allow some thematic similarities to shine through. Like other book-to-screen adaptations, Ender’s Game doesn’t delve as deep as its source material, but it still offers a well-acted and thrilling narrative for fans of sci-fi movies to sink their teeth into. Criticized for its tedium, Ender’s Game definitely isn’t as well-paced as Uglies, which fits its story into a 102-minute runtime.

4 The Stepford Wives (1975)

Directed By Bryan Forbes

The Stepford Wives (1975) 0

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The Stepford Wives is a 1975 science-fiction horror film directed by Bryan Forbes. The story follows Joanna Eberhart, played by Katharine Ross, as she relocates to the seemingly perfect suburban town of Stepford, Connecticut, and becomes increasingly suspicious that the city’s housewives are more than they appear. Based on the 1972 novel by Ira Levin, the film explores themes of identity, conformity, and gender roles.

Director Bryan Forbes Release Date February 12, 1975 Writers Ira Levin , William Goldman Cast Katharine Ross , Paula Prentiss , Peter Masterson , Nanette Newman , Tina Louise , Carol Eve Rossen , William Prince , Carole Mallory Runtime 115 Minutes Main Genre Sci-Fi Expand

The Nicole Kidman remake might stand out more in viewers’ minds if only because it’s the more recent adaptation, but there’s no beating 1975’s The Stepford Wives. Based on Ira Levin’s 1972 novel, Stepford Wives is more of a psychological thrille and satire, but it manages to hit many of the same thematic notes as Uglies. In the movie, Joanna (Katharine Ross) and her husband relocate to a small Connecticut community called Stepford, where women are completely subservient to their husbands. While that notion is dystopian, the film is more of a critique of contemporary misogynistic society.

The women of Stepford, with their dull and robotic sensibilities, certainly feel similar to the Pretties.

The women of Stepford, with their dull and robotic sensibilities, certainly feel similar to the Pretties. In both movies, the need for absolute control overwhelms the characters’ humanity. Of course, the clever cult classic isn’t necessarily the best Uglies comp title. Despite some light sci-fi elements, The Stepford Wives feels more like a grounded drama. It also isn’t a definitive dystopian (or YA) story. Nonetheless, it wouldn’t be surprising if some elements of the film, and its 2004 remake, influenced Westerfeld’s Uglies book trilogy.

3 THX 1138

Directed By George Lucas

THX 1138 1

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THX 1138, directed by George Lucas, is a dystopian science fiction film set in a future society where individuality and personal freedoms are tightly controlled. Robert Duvall stars as THX 1138, a man who begins to question the oppressive system after engaging in a forbidden relationship. The film explores themes of dehumanization and systemic control in a stark, technologically advanced environment.

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Director George Lucas Release Date March 11, 1971 Writers George Lucas , Walter Murch Cast Robert Duvall , Donald Pleasence , Don Pedro Colley , Maggie McOmie , Ian Wolfe , Marshall Efron , Sid Haig , John Pearce Runtime 86 Minutes Main Genre Sci-Fi Expand

Several years before Star Wars, George Lucas wrote and directed THX 1138, a social science-fiction film that has all the hallmarks of a classic dystopian story. Produced by Francis Ford Coppola and starring Robert Duvall and Donald Pleasence, THX 1138 unfolds in a futuristic dystopian society where people are forced to use emotion-suppressing drugs. Without a doubt, THX 1138 inspired other entries, like Equals, though its government-mandated suppression of free thinking, emotions, and agency certainly bears a resemblance to elements in Uglies too.

Related All 21 Futuristic Gadgets & Technology In Uglies Explained

Tally’s world is equipped with just about every technical convenience imaginable in Uglies, with gadgets galore meant to make Pretty life perfect.

A visually unique work of science fiction, THX 1138 paved the way for Lucas’ other endeavors — but it also feels like a director’s first feature film. With a somewhat simplistic story, the cult classic feels derivative of dystopian fiction, even if it did help translate the genre to the silver screen in a big way. Nonetheless, the bleak menace that Lucas’ movie captures is pretty unparalleled. Unlike Tally’s colorful-yet-controlling City in Uglies, the world of THX 1138 is overtly chilling. Still, for those who want to get back to the genre’s cinematic roots, Lucas’ directorial debut is worth the watch.

2 Never Let Me Go

Directed By Mark Romanek

Never Let Me Go 0

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*Availability in US Director Mark Romanek Release Date October 15, 2010 Writers Alex Garland , Kazuo Ishiguro Cast Carey Mulligan , Keira Knightley , Sally Hawkins , Andrew Garfield , Charlotte Rampling , Domhnall Gleeson Runtime 103 minutes Main Genre Drama Expand

Based on Kazuo Ishiguro’s acclaimed novel of the same name, Never Let Me Go boasts a screenplay from Alex Garland (Ex Machina, Devs), which certainly helps the adaptation stand out from other dystopian fare. Set in an alternate history where human cloning was not just developed but heavily relied on, Never Let Me Go centers on three clones: Kathy (Carey Mulligan), Ruth (Keira Knightley), and Tommy (Andrew Garfield). Growing up, none of them knew they were clones. However, as they age, it becomes clear that they’re insurance policies — copies of people who may need organ transplants in the future.

Never Let Me Go
is both searing and sparse, making it a very different watch from the more action-packed
Uglies
.

Like Uglies, Never Let Me Go grapples with fundamental questions about human nature. Of course, for the film’s clones, those questions center more on if they have humanity — if they are being treated ethically or not. In Uglies, human nature is suppressed by the Pretty surgery. But those ineffable human qualities, like agency and individualism and love, come to define both movies’ interpretations of what it means to be human. Beautifully focused and powerfully acted, Never Let Me Go is both searing and sparse, making it a very different watch from the more action-packed Uglies.

1 The Hunger Games

Directed By Gary Ross

The Hunger Games 4.0 4

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The Hunger Games is the first of four in the action-drama movie series based on the novels by Suzanne Collins. Set in a dystopian world where people are separated into twelve districts to maintain order, this first film in the franchise focuses on Katniss Everdeen as she is forced to participate in The Hunger Games: a draconian gladiatorial survival event where there can be only one winner.

Director Gary Ross Release Date March 12, 2012 Studio(s) Lionsgate , Color Force Distributor(s) Lionsgate Writers Gary Ross , Suzanne Collins , Billy Ray Cast Liam Hemsworth , Jeffrey Wright , Natalie Dormer , Josh Hutcherson , Julianne Moore , Elizabeth Banks , Robert Knepper , Donald Sutherland , Woody Harrelson , Jennifer Lawrence , Jena Malone , Philip Seymour Hoffman Runtime 142 minutes Franchise(s) The Hunger Games Sequel(s) The Hunger Games: Catching Fire , The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 , The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 prequel(s) The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes Budget $78 Million Where To Stream Hulu Expand

The Hunger Games is the best movie like Uglies because it hits all the same notes. The adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ bestselling novel of the same name centers on a teenage protagonist who stands up against her controlling, dystopian society’s ways. Set in a post-apocalyptic future, The Hunger Games also incorporates some interesting sci-fi elements and compelling world-building. Mostly, Tally Youngblood feels modeled after characters like Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), who has become synonymous with the genre.

Related Why Tally Was Separated From Her Parents In Uglies

Joey King’s Tally Youngblood grows up without her parents in the 2024 Netflix dystopian film Uglies, but most of the characters in the movie do.

While the first Hunger Games movie is probably the best — it’s a well-acted movie with a taut narrative — the whole four-film saga is worth watching. If Netflix chooses, Uglies could follow in the Hunger Games‘ footsteps and become a complete film series. Both book trilogies begin with standalone stories that see their protagonists empowered and ready to fight back by the end, which leads to epic, government-toppling arcs. One of the strongest and most commercially successful YA franchises of all time, The Hunger Games paved the way for movies like Uglies.

Uglies (2024) 13

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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.

Director McG Release Date September 13, 2024 Writers Scott Westerfield , Whit Anderson , Vanessa Taylor , Jacob Forman , Krista Vernoff Cast Joey King , Brianne Tju , laverne cox , Chase Stokes , Kevin Miles , Kelly Gale , Keith Powers , Will Poston , Jillian Murray , Jan Luis Castellanos , Zamani Wilder , Charmin Lee , Lindsay Rootare , Moose Ali Khan , Robert Palmer Watkins , Jordan Sherley , Alex D. Jennings , Gabriella Garcia , Dutch Johnson , Jessica Craig , Jason Parks , Quintin Mims , Jay DeVon Johnson , Sarah Vattano , Joe Sterrey , Brett Hoyle , Tess Anderson , Yao Mizuno , Jocelyn Chew , Katie McSweeney , Ash Maeda , Jessica Galinas , Ashton Essex Bright Main Genre Sci-Fi Expand

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