Disney Releases New Cruella Movie Sneak Peek
Written by: GN
“Wreaking havoc is my personal specialty,” Cruella ominously warns in the recently released sneak peek to the eponymous prequel to one of Disney’s most iconic villains. Cruella De Vil first graced our screens as an heiress hellbent on getting a Dalmatian fur coat in the 1961 animated film 101 Dalmatians before later being revamped as a fashion mogul in the 1996 live action film starring Glenn Close.
This latest iteration, however, offers a darker look at how the notorious villainess rose to power. As stated in its official synopsis, Cruella “follows a young grifter named Estella, a clever and creative girl determined to make a name for herself with her designs. One day, Estella’s flair for fashion catches the eye of Baroness von Hellman, a fashion legend who is devastatingly chic and terrifyingly haute. But their relationship sets in motion a course of events and revelations that will cause Estella to embrace her wicked side and become the raucous, fashionable and revenge-bent Cruella.” Starring Emma Stone (La La Land, Easy A) in the titular role opposite Emma Thompson’s (Sense and Sensibility, Nanny Mcphee) Baroness, Disney’s wickedly delightful take on Cruella promises to be a wild ride.
The De Vil is in the details
The first trailer dropped on February 17 and although not much details about the plot or characters were shown in the trailer, many were surprised by the direction it took. Far from being depicted as a villain, Cruella is instead framed as a sympathetic origin story. This may be a controversial choice for some seeing that the animated series and the live action films have established Cruella to be someone literally willing to skin puppies.
On April 7, the second trailer was released. This time, it revealed more about the dynamics between the Baroness and Cruella, who came to be in her employ as a designer. Beyond the conflict, the trailer also established the cutthroat Baroness as the woman to beat—and the woman that will ultimately inspire who Estella will be. We also find out that the Baroness has three Dalmatian dogs who will be kidnapped under Cruella’s orders.
Then on May 10, a special sneak peek to Florence + the Machine’s original song for the movie titled Call Me Cruella was unveiled along with new footage. The one-minute trailer featured lead singer Florence Welch’s sultry vocals and hinted that the Baroness will steal one of Estella’s designs, driving her to a dark path. Interestingly enough, we also quickly see Cruella twirling in what looks like a Dalmatian fur coat. Make of that what you will.
Evil never looked this good
Set in spunky 1970s London, Cruella’s visuals convey the perfect combination of chaos, foreboding, and style—setting the stage for the film’s dark themes. Director Craig Gillespie previously helmed the Oscar-winning I, Tonya, and one can see how his vision really translates well to bold and campy movies.
From what we can see, Cruella herself is ambitious, unapologetic, and straight-up crazy—with enough similarities with Glenn Close’s version to be recognizable, but still pulling enough punches to keep audiences interested. We will have to wait until it’s release date to see if the film as a whole lives up to the expectations set my by the trailer.
The dark side
From its gritty cinematography to its sharp costume design, Cruella is shaping up to be quite the show-stealer. Disney’s previous outings like Maleficent show that they’re capable of stepping into the dark side, but Cruella appears to take things in an even bolder direction. Safe to say, we’re all on the edge of our seats in the anticipation of Disney’s new unadulterated approach to its iconic villains.
Cruella will be released in theaters on May 28, 2021 and Disney+ Premier Access on the same day.
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