Is There Going to Be an 'Uglies 2'? Here's What the Film's Director Had to Say

Spoiler alert: This article contains spoilers for Netflix's Uglies.

Tally Youngblood (Joey King) thought becoming "pretty" was the ultimate goal in Netflix’s Uglies, based on Scott Westerfeld’s four-book series. The plan was simple: Turn 16, get the surgery, and bam — life will be perfect. But when Tally is coerced into leaving Uglyville to find David at the Smoke, she discovers the surgery isn’t just cosmetic — it leaves lesions on the brain.

With little choice left, Tally agrees to become a "Pretty," but not before promising David and the others she’ll return to be the first to test the cure. At the end of Uglies, we see Tally with her new look, gazing over New Pretty Town, speaking nonchalantly, just like all the other Pretties. The scene ends on a cliffhanger, with Tally staring at the scar on her hand, hinting that she remembers who she truly is. Naturally, fans are now wondering: Is Uglies 2 in the works? Here's what we know.

Netflix has not yet confirmed Uglies 2, but with four books in the series, there’s definitely room for the next installment to be adapted. And if director McG has any say, there's a good chance it might happen, as he is certainly on board to direct additional films.

When asked by TheWrap if the subsequent books in the series would be adapted — potentially paving the way for an Uglies 2 and even an Uglies 3 — he said, "the audience has to speak" on that, noting that "performance" can only take a film so far.

He added, “I think that’s safe to say, certainly. I mean, you’re not talking about a garden variety film where, ‘Hey, we had good numbers and people really liked it. Let’s cook up a sequel,’” he said. “You’re fundamentally talking about a book series that gets into Specials and Extras.”

He continued, “And, you know, obviously, Pretties is the second film. So yeah, we want to make sure that we do everything we can for the world to speak and make it an easy, easy decision for Bela, and Dan Lin, and Ted Sarandos on down.”

Uglies currently has a 3.5 out of 10 rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on critics' ratings. However, it was watched 20 million times during the first three days on Netflix, per Forbes. So, it certainly caught the attention and could garner more attention despite the poor ratings, simply because people may want to know: Does Tally stay true to her word, or was the surgery too powerful and did it take over her mind?

Pretties is the second book in Westerfeld’s series, so if Uglies 2 is greenlit, it would likely follow the book's order and possibly be titled Pretties. In the sequel, Tally embraces the glamorous life of a Pretty, filled with parties and friends. However, after receiving a message and pills from a member of the reformed Smoke — now known as the New Smoke — Tally and her boyfriend take the pills to undergo the cure. But it comes with consequences.

Not only is her every move tracked, but her friendship with Shay becomes strained. Eventually, Tally reunites with Shay, who is now part of a new clique called the Cutters, leading Tally to be recruited as a Special, the focus of the third book in the series.

While fans are hopeful for a second Uglies, we’ll have to wait and see what Netflix decides.