Disney has revealed the first look at Cruella’s origins in its new promo video. The highly anticipated film will delve into the iconic villain’s story prior to the events of her notoriety in 101 Dalmatians. Academy Award-winning actress Emma Stone will play the fashion-obsessed De Vil and will be joined by Emma Thompson, Joel Fry, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, and Mark Strong.
Leading up to its premiere on May 28, Disney has been sharing clips of the upcoming movie to promote it. Yesterday, the YouTube page released a new one showcasing glimpses of Cruella’s childhood, inviting viewers to “Discover the Origin of Cruel.”
As usual, Stone takes over the narration and talks about how she knew she was destined for bigger things from an early age. This is followed by clips of Estella as a rebellious schoolgirl, choosing to wear her jacket inside out to exhibit her artistic doodles.
The promo also shows how other children bullied Cruella. While walking down the school hallway, a boy shoots spitballs at her, but Estella’s unflinching reaction hints that she’s used to such behavior. Played by Tipper Seifert-Cleveland, young Cruella is seen sporting her black and white hairdo, as well. Check out the clip here:
By bringing up her chaotic childhood in the clip, it can thus be confirmed that Disney will play the sympathy card for Cruella, similar to Maleficent. Like most origin stories, the upcoming movie, too, will base the main character’s current evil traits as a result of their difficult upbringing.
Considering that audiences enjoy dissecting complicated characters and tend to like them more, Cruella could be headed for some big success. In fact, it is already being compared to Margot Robbie’s Birds of Prey, and the 2019 hit Joker.
However, Emma Stone has since refuted the contrasts between the films, stating Cruella will be different. The main distinction being that Cruella relishes killing dogs for their fur, which could be quite the challenge for Disney to portray. Animal abuse is an extremely sensitive topic.
Set in 1970s London, the movie will follow Estella as she sets foot in the bustling town, right amid the punk rock revolution, to explore life in the fashion world. During her stay, she catches the eye of Baroness von Hellman (Thompson), a celebrated fashionista. But, to get ahead, Estella unleashes her fiery alter ego, Cruella.
Cruella will be released in theatres and on Disney+ (with Premier Access) simultaneously on May 28, 2021.
About Cruella
Cruella is a 2021 American crime comedy film based on the character Cruella de Vil, introduced in Dodie Smith’s 1956 novel The Hundred and One Dalmatians and Walt Disney’s 1961 animated film One Hundred and One Dalmatians.
The live-action adaptation stars Academy Award-winning actress Emma Stone as Cruella, with Emma Thompson, Joel Fry, Paul Walter Hauser, Emily Beecham, and Mark Strong in supporting roles. A sequel is in development at Disney.
Set amidst 1970s London during the punk rock revolution, Estella (Stone) moves to the bustling city with dreams of establishing herself as a fashion force. However, when she catches the eye of celebrated designer Baroness von Hellman, Estella unleashes her fiery inner persona to get ahead. With her thief friends by her side, Estella’s ambitions will take a sinister turn when she gets obsessed with Dalmatian furs and becomes the antagonistic villain of the original Disney movie.
In August 2021, it has been confirmed that Emma Stone will be returning for a sequel with Craig Gillespie and Tony McNamara, the first film’s director and writer respectively. No other cast, release date or plot details have been revealed.
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