Bleecker Street’s 'Slanted' [TRAILER]: The Shocking Trailer You Might Have Missed — And It’s About to Start Conversations

Klep Napier
2 hours ago
3 min read

What if fitting in didn’t mean changing your style… but literally changing who you are?

Bleecker Street quietly dropped the official trailer for Slanted, and if this one flew under your radar, trust me, it shouldn’t have. This is bold, provocative, body-horror satire with teeth. The kind of film that doesn’t just entertain you… it challenges you.

And after watching the trailer, one thing is clear. Slanted is not here to play it safe.

The film opens exclusively in theaters March 13, 2026.

A Prom Queen Dream Turned Nightmare

Slanted follows Joan Huang, a Chinese-American high school senior who dreams of becoming prom queen. She studies the hallway walls lined with past winners and starts to believe the only way to win is to look like them.

That’s when she turns to a mysterious cosmetic surgery clinic promising something unthinkable, a procedure that allows people of color to appear white. Joan goes through with it, emerging as a blonde beauty seemingly destined for the crown.

But as you’d expect, nothing about this transformation is simple.

The trailer begins with glossy teen-movie vibes, cheer squads, lockers, prom dresses, that familiar coming-of-age glow. Then it shifts. Clinical lighting. Surgical tools. Identity slipping through the cracks. What starts as aspiration quickly spirals into psychological and physical horror.

[Watch the offical trailer here]:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRYAuKuzmn0

Body Horror With Something to Say

Written and directed by Amy Wang, Slanted isn’t just shock value. It’s pointed social commentary wrapped in genre filmmaking. It explores assimilation, beauty standards, racial identity, and the quiet, constant pressure to reshape yourself to fit someone else’s idea of success.

It feels like a spiritual, distant cousin to Livin' Large! starring Terrence 'T.C.' Carson, an early 90s story about navigating image, opportunity, and identity in a world that rewards you for becoming something “more acceptable.” Different tone, different genre, but the same question lingers underneath. What are you sacrificing to level up?

And for modern audiences, comparisons to The Substance are inevitable. Just like that film used extreme body horror to critique society’s obsession with youth and perfection, Slanted weaponizes transformation as a commentary on race and belonging. It’s uncomfortable by design. That’s the point.

A Cast Ready to Stir the Pot

The film stars Shirley Chen as Joan, alongside Mckenna Grace, Amelie Zilber, Vivian Wu, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, and Elaine Hendrix.

And yes, seeing Mckenna Grace pop up in this trailer adds another interesting layer, especially considering how active she’s been in genre storytelling lately. This cast alone is going to draw attention. The premise is what’s going to keep people talking.

Why This One Matters

What makes Slanted stand out is that it doesn’t soften the metaphor. It takes a real emotional pressure, the feeling of not being enough as you are, and makes it literal. Surgical. Bloody. Unavoidable.

That kind of storytelling either fades quietly…or it ignites debate.

After its festival buzz and early reactions, this feels like one of those films that audiences are going to argue about in parking lots, on social feeds, and in group chats. And honestly, those are usually the movies that matter.