Not Only 'The Ugly Stepsister': 5 More Movies Based on the Cinderella Story
These projects go far beyond classic adaptations.
The tale of Cinderella is one of the most recognizable and beloved stories in the world. For hundreds of years, the image of a kind and hardworking girl who overcomes adversity and finds love has inspired writers and directors.
However, the familiar tale of the glass slipper, the evil stepmother, and the fairy godmother merely provides a basis for endless creative interpretations.
1. 'Once Upon a Crime', 2023
IMDb Score: 5.3/10
If you're tired of romance and craving something more extravagant, it's time to watch the Japanese version of Cinderella.
It's a detective story that combines elements of Cinderella and Little Red Riding Hood. In this version, Little Red Riding Hood investigates the mysterious murder of the Moonlight Kingdom's chief stylist.
Once Upon a Crime is an adaptation of a novel by Aito Aoyagi, a popular modern Japanese author. The Little Red Riding Hood series reimagines Western fairy tales as detective stories.
2. 'Upgraded', 2024
IMDb Score: 6.1/10
Ana is an intern at a New York auction house and dreams of opening her own gallery. One day, fortune smiles on her: she flies to London on her first business trip.
By a lucky coincidence, she gets a first-class ticket. During the flight, she charms a wealthy, handsome young man named William.
Unable to resist the fairy-tale scenario, Ana lies and tells William that she is the director of the auction house. As it turns out, William's mother is an important client, and the success of the landmark auction depends on her.
3. 'Anora', 2024
IMDb Score: 7.4/10
The Cinderella story is often interpreted as a misalliance, in which the prince falls in love with the maid. Once, the perfect adaptation of this idea was Pretty Woman, with Richard Gere and Julia Roberts.
Sean Baker's critically acclaimed and award-winning movie, Anora, in which Cinderella meets the prince in a strip club, is vying for the role of the new Pretty Woman.
However, the love story and marriage between stripper Anora and Vanya, the son of a Russian oligarch, is far darker.
4. 'After the Ball', 2015
IMDb Score: 5.8/10
Talented and full of ideas, Kate Kassell has just graduated from the New York Academy of Design and is eager to enter the world of high fashion.
She returns to her native Montreal and begins working for her father's company. However, she faces challenges there: her scheming stepmother and her two daughters have seized power and spend their time spying, plotting, and destroying Kassell in favor of their competitors.
Seeing Kate as a threat, her stepmother and stepsisters force her out and turn her father against her. Then, Kate decides to take drastic measures.
5. 'Sneakerella', 2022
IMDb Score: 4.9/10
El, a boy with a gift for design, dreams of becoming a sneaker designer. For now, he works in a small shoe shop owned by his late mother. He spends his days sketching, showing great promise. However, his stepfather and stepbrothers don't support his dreams.
El's chance comes when he meets Kira King, the headstrong daughter of Darius King, a basketball star and shoe magnate.
Kira believes her father's company is stagnating and wants to find a young, new designer. El and Kira fall in love. Now, it's just a matter of creating magical sneakers and winning Darius over.
