The Ugly Stepsister: Release details, plot, cast and more about the upcoming Norwegian comedy horror film

The Norwegian comedy horror film, The Ugly Stepsister, had its world premiere in the Midnight Section of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, on 23 January 2025. As per Collider, The Ugly Stepsister, which is originally titled Den stygge stesøsteren, will release in the United States on Shudder. In Norway, the film is slated to open on March 7, 2025, according to the official website of Norwegian Film Institute (NFI).

As per Variety, writer and director of The Ugly Stepsister, Emilie Blichfeld, speaks about her film being showcased at Sundance and Shudder, by stating:

“I am beyond thrilled to bring ‘The Ugly Stepsister’ to Sundance and ultimately to a wider audience alongside my incredible team and in partnership with Shudder.”

“Shudder’s passion and belief in the film make them the perfect partner to deliver this story,” she adds.

The Ugly Stepsister is the first feature directorial of Emilie Blichfeld, who has previously directed short films such as How Do You Like My Hair? (2013) and Stesøstra (2020).

The film is a murky reimagination of the fairytale, Cinderella. Challenging the traditional idea of beauty, the plot delivers a feminist take on the toxic beauty standards imposed on women. The idea is realised through a horror narrative that blends dark humor.

What is the plot of The Ugly Stepsister?

The Ugly Stepsister follows Elvira (played by Lea Myren), who is made to feel insecure about her looks when compared to her picture-perfect stepsister. As per Rotten Tomatoes, the synopsis of the film is:

In a twisted take on the classic Cinderella story, 'The Ugly Stepsister' follows Elvira as she battles to compete with her insanely beautiful stepsister. In a fairy-tale kingdom where beauty is a brutal business, Elvira will go to any lengths to catch the Prince's eye. 'The Ugly Stepsister' is the gory tale of the blood and sweat, grit and gold that goes into making Elvira the belle of the ball.

The film tries to give the tale of Cinderella an insightful and refreshing spin, diving deep into a familiar storyline with a different perspective. The attempt is to provide a more nuanced understanding of the fairytale, as well as witness the protagonist from humane viewpoint.

As per Variety, Emilie Blichfeld talks about how her previous works, too, have explored themes related to the struggles faced by women with their bodies. About how this storyline came to her mind, she explains:

“It was in the development process of one of these films that I was having a creative nap, and suddenly this little piece of the Brothers Grimm version of ‘Cinderella‘ came to me. I just imagined my character thinking that she fit the shoe, but then realizing that her shoe was full of blood. She’d actually cut off her toes to fit the shoe.”

Who all shall we see in The Ugly Stepsister?

The Ugly Stepsister has a promising cast of actors that includes:

Lea Myren as Elvira
Thea Sofie Loch Næss as Agnes
Ane Dahl Torp as Rebekka the stepmother
Isac Calmroth as Prince Julian
Malte Gårdinger as Isak
Ralph Carlsson as Otto

Actor Thea Sofie Loch Næss, while speaking at Sundance about The Ugly Stepsister, has said:

"You know these stories are important for a reason and I think you know when you put something to the extreme as you do with body horror, you can kind of I know I feel like people can be annoyed once like 'you know oh you're perfect just the way as you are', we're like 'yeah okay' but I don't believe it when you kind of see it- the physical embodiment of women's self hatred and the capitalist society its maybe like easier to be like yeah actually maybe I should love myself the way I am and not change"

The film's body horror elements led some viewers to have a regurgitative experience, as per Screenrant. The Ugly Stepsister's theme is reminiscent of the recently Oscar nominated movie, The Substance, which also belongs to the body horror genre and is packed with a powerful feminist stance. It is certainly delightful to witness an increasing number of women-led stories that question the societal notions of beauty through grotesque aesthetics, in the process delivering a strong commentary.

The Ugly Stepsister is scheduled to be showcased at the 2025 Berlin International Film Festival in the month of February.