While many recent Disney horror remakes haven’t been successful, one stands out as a true masterpiece. Disney is known for its classic films, particularly its animated fairy tales, which are often considered among the greatest movies ever made.
Lots of classic stories are now free for anyone to use, and some artists are reimagining them in their own way. A popular trend is to create horror versions, like Bambi: The Reckoning, Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare, and Pinocchio Unstrung. However, most of these attempts haven’t been very successful, often because the writing isn’t strong enough.
One Disney horror remake has been remarkably successful – it’s even received an Oscar nomination! This is a significant achievement for the horror genre at the awards and could pave the way for other successful remakes of Disney classics.
The Ugly Stepsister Is A Brilliant Take On The Tale Of Cinderella
In 2024, a horror reimagining of Cinderella called Cinderella’s Revenge was released. However, it was The Ugly Stepsister, which came out in 2025, that really impressed both critics and audiences. Directed by Emilie Blichfeldt, this film retells the classic Cinderella story, based on the Brothers Grimm version, but tells it from the perspective of one of the stepsisters.
The film, The Ugly Stepsister, centers around Elvira, played by Lea Myren, whose mother Rebekka (Ane Dahl Torp) marries a man named Otto (Ralph Carlsson) who has a daughter, Agnes (Thea Sofie Loch Næss). When Rebekka, Elvira, and Elvira’s sister Alma move in with Otto and Agnes, Agnes resents Rebekka and her daughters.
When Prince Julian announces a ball to find a wife, Elvira is thrilled – she’s always dreamed of marrying him. But Rebekka, believing Elvira isn’t attractive enough to win the prince’s favor, and fueled by the fact that Agnes is also hoping to marry him, subjects Elvira to painful and outdated cosmetic surgery.
I recently watched The Ugly Stepsister, and wow, it’s not your typical Cinderella story! It’s a really dark and unsettling take on the classic fairytale, blending horror with a lot of emotional drama. You find yourself questioning whether you should sympathize with the main character, Elvira, or not – she’s seriously complex. What I really loved is that the movie actually gives you a backstory for Cinderella too, showing how she ended up as a servant and what drove her to pursue the prince. It’s a fascinating and surprisingly layered story.
The story, The Ugly Stepsister, retells a classic fairy tale with a fresh perspective. It keeps the core story intact but cleverly shifts the focus to one of the traditionally villainous characters. It also makes you wonder if Cinderella was really as perfect as people believe, and challenges conventional ideas about beauty.
What Other Disney Horror Remakes Can Learn From The Ugly Stepsister
Many Disney horror remakes haven’t been successful because they rely too heavily on shock value and don’t bring anything original to the table. For instance, Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare features a criminal Peter Pan who kidnaps children and takes them to Neverland, but the reasons behind his actions are never explored. Similarly, Bambi: Reckoning is filled with violence but lacks a compelling storyline.
As previously noted, The Ugly Stepsister reimagines the classic story from a new perspective, offering a fresh take without straying too far from the original. It builds upon the familiar tale in a natural way. While the film contains some graphic content, the true horror comes from the internal struggles of the character Elvira – something that many other Disney horror remakes lack in terms of character development.
The Ugly Stepsister’s Oscar Nomination Is A Huge Step For Horror
The film The Ugly Stepsister received very positive reviews, earning a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and several award nominations. Notably, it’s up for Best Makeup and Hairstyling at the 2026 Academy Awards, which is significant because the Oscars don’t often recognize films in the horror genre.
The 2026 Oscars look promising for horror fans! Not only was The Ugly Stepsister nominated, but so were two of the year’s biggest horror hits, Weapons and Sinners. It remains to be seen if The Ugly Stepsister will kickstart a trend of successful horror remakes from Disney, but hopefully, future projects can build on its success.
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2026-02-25 17:49