Acclaimed Cinderella Body Horror Movie ‘The Ugly Stepsister’ Coming to Shudder in May

After arriving in theaters earlier this month from IFC Films and Shudder, Norwegian body horror movie The Ugly Stepsister is now making its way home courtesy of Shudder.

A twisted take on the tale of Cinderella, writer and director Emilie Blichfeldt’s critically acclaimed horror movie The Ugly Stepsister debuts on Shudder on May 9, 2025.

Shudder previews, “A biting satire and cinematically exhilarating directorial debut, The Ugly Stepsister is a timely examination of body image and beauty standards, identifying Emilie Blichfeldt as one of the most exciting new international filmmaking voices.”

The Ugly Stepsister follows Elvira (Lea Myren) as she prepares to earn the prince’s affection at any cost. In a kingdom where beauty is a brutal business, Elvira will compete with the beautiful and enchanting Agnes (Thea Sofie Loch Næss) to become the belle of the ball.

The Ugly Stepsister marks the feature debut from Norwegian writer and director Emilie Blichfeldt, and stars Lea Myren and Thea Sofie Loch Næss alongside Ane Dahl Torp.

As Meagan explains in her review, “Blichfeldt employs historically accurate medical procedures to great stomach-churning effect, delivering graphic body horror by way of unflinching surgeries and self-harm, all in the name of love. The filmmaker refuses to let her audience look away; each moment of Elvira’s ruthless metamorphosis from an awkward, ugly duckling into a poised stunner is drawn out to an unbearable degree and frequently shot in extreme closeups. Beauty is pain, and The Ugly Stepsister wants you to feel it on a visceral level.”

“It’s elegant, stylish, and gnarly,” Meagan adds in her 4-star review.

The film is Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with a 96% Tomatometer score.

Watch the previously released official trailer below.

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