The trend of creating horror movies from stories originally made famous by Disney continues. While many of these films rely on shock value and nostalgia for childhood characters, The Ugly Stepsister stands out as a surprisingly meaningful critique of its source material. This Norwegian body horror film draws inspiration from Cinderella, a natural fit for the genre compared to something like Winnie the Pooh.
That said, the film is appropriately gruesome, with Variety reporting audience members vomiting at its Sundance premiere. It currently holds a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with critic Katie Rife's IGN review stating: "A strong stomach is non-negotiable... as The Ugly Stepsister takes the concept of suffering for beauty to graphic, nauseating extremes."
If you're curious to test your own limits, you can now stream The Ugly Stepsister from home.
How to Watch The Ugly Stepsister Online
The Ugly Stepsister
0See it at ShudderSee it at Prime Video
The Ugly Stepsister is currently available on Shudder, a streaming service dedicated to horror with plans starting at $7.50/month and a 7-day free trial. Shudder's library is also accessible through an AMC+ subscription. For those who prefer not to commit to another service, the film is available for digital rental or purchase on platforms like Prime Video.
The movie's transition to streaming comes less than a month after its U.S. theatrical release, though its initial premiere was at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival nearly five months ago. It also premiered in Norway a month before its North American debut, marking a respectable theatrical run for an independent horror film.
What’s The Ugly Stepsister About?
The Ugly Stepsister (originally titled Den stygge stesøsteren in Norwegian) is inspired by the Brothers Grimm version of Cinderella, not the Disney adaptation. According to IGN's review, "The Ugly Stepsister depicts crude and agonizing cosmetic-surgery procedures that – believe it or not – are not that far off from historical reality." Its blend of body horror and societal beauty standards has drawn comparisons to last year's film, The Substance. Here is the official synopsis:
In this dark reimagining of the Cinderella fairy tale, Elvira is determined to outshine her beautiful stepsister and will go to extreme lengths to win the prince's heart.
The Ugly Stepsister Cast and Characters
The Ugly Stepsister marks the feature film debut of writer-director Emilie Blichfeldt. The cast includes:
Lea Myrenas ElviraThea Sofie Loch Næss as AgnesAne Dahl Torp as Rebekka, the stepmotherFlo Fagerli as AlmaIsac Calmroth as Prince JulianMalte Gårdinger as IsakRalph Carlsson as OttoIsac Aspberg as The FeinschmeckerAlbin Weidenbladh as The OmnivorousOksana Czerkasyna as CookKatarzyna Herman as Madame VanjaAdam Lundgren as Dr. EsthétiqueWilly Ramnek Petri as Frederik von BluckfishCecilia Forss as Sophie von Kronenberg
