This new body horror movie could be the next The Substance after its Oscars shortlist nod

Three people smile while looking into a mirror with a sinister feel to it

(Image credit: Shudder)

Shudder's new body horror The Ugly Stepsister has been shortlisted for an Oscar. The underrated movie could follow in the footsteps of The Substance, which I called the best body horror of 2024.

The Oscars shortlist does not mean it's guaranteed to make it to the final nominations, but it is edging one step closer to going up against some huge movies like Sinners, Frankenstein and Wicked: For Good.

The Alto Knights
Frankenstein
Kokuho
Marty Supreme
Nuremberg
One Battle after Another
Sinners
The Smashing Machine
The Ugly Stepsister
Wicked: For Good

It's a strong lineup for sure, but we do know the Academy has favored body horror in this category before. The Substance won in Makeup and Hairstyling in 2025, and I'm definitely rooting for The Ugly Stepsister to do the same.

Why you should watch The Ugly Stepsister

The Ugly Stepsister | Official Trailer | Shudder - YouTube

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As you may have guessed from the title, The Ugly Stepsister is a twisted take on the classic Cinderella story. Many fairy tales do have dark origins, so I was very excited to see how this movie pulled it off.

The end result is one of the most viscerally horrible things I've seen, and there's some nauseating stuff here too. The movie follows Elvira, a young woman who is willing to go to great lengths to impress Prince Julian. I would consider it to be one of the best horror movies of recent years.

We follow Elvira as she goes through a series of painful cosmetic procedures. These include eyelash extensions and nose reshaping, which torture Elvira due to a lack of painkillers and primitive tools. Some of these scenes are tough to watch.

Outside of the horror elements, the movie is beautifully shot with some gorgeous costumes and set design, which offset all the blood and gore. Available on both Shudder and AMC+, it's a must-watch for anyone who loves twisted fairy tales.

We'll have to wait and see if it does make the final nomination list, but I'm keeping everything crossed.

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Lucy is a long-time movie and television lover who is an approved critic on Rotten Tomatoes. She has written several reviews in her time, starting with a small self-ran blog called Lucy Goes to Hollywood before moving onto bigger websites such as What's on TV and What to Watch, with TechRadar being her most recent venture. Her interests primarily lie within horror and thriller, loving nothing more than a chilling story that keeps her thinking moments after the credits have rolled. Many of these creepy tales can be found on the streaming services she covers regularly.

When she’s not scaring herself half to death with the various shows and movies she watches, she likes to unwind by playing video games on Easy Mode and has no shame in admitting she’s terrible at them. She also quotes The Simpsons religiously and has a Blinky the Fish tattoo, solidifying her position as a complete nerd.

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