David Farnor | On 07, Apr 2021

“There’s something about poetic justice that’s just so poetic.”

That’s the sound of Disney showing a different side of Cruella de Vil in Cruella, its new live-action prequel.

Emma Stone (sporting a plummy accent) stars in the movie charting the rebellious early days of one of cinema’s most notorious – and notoriously fashionable – villains. Cruella, which is set in 1970s London amidst the punk rock revolution, follows a young grifter named Estella, a clever and creative girl determined to make a name for herself with her designs. She befriends a pair of young thieves who appreciate her appetite for mischief, and together they are able to build a life for themselves on the London streets. One day, Estella’s flair for fashion catches the eye of the Baroness von Hellman (Emma Thompson), 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 that we know from 101 Dalmatians.

Directed by Craig Gillespie (I Tonya) from a screenplay by Dana Fox and Tony McNamara, the film debuts on Disney+ with a Premier Access fee of £19.99 on 28th May – the same day that it is released in cinemas (coronavirus pandemic allowing).

Here’s the new trailer:

 

Trailer: Disney to release Cruella this May

23rd March 2021

“From the very beginning I realised I saw the world differently from everyone else.”

Emma Stone (sporting a plummy accent) stars in Cruella, charting the rebellious early days of one of cinema’s most notorious – and notoriously fashionable – villains. Cruella, which is set in 1970s London amidst the punk rock revolution, follows a young grifter named Estella, a clever and creative girl determined to make a name for herself with her designs. She befriends a pair of young thieves who appreciate her appetite for mischief, and together they are able to build a life for themselves on the London streets. One day, Estella’s flair for fashion catches the eye of the Baroness von Hellman (Emma Thompson), 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 that we know from 101 Dalmatians.

Directed by Craig Gillespie (I Tonya) from a screenplay by Dana Fox and Tony McNamara, the film is produced by Andrew Gunn (Freaky Friday), Marc Platt (Mary Poppins Returns) and Kristin Burr (Christopher Robin), with Emma Stone, Michelle Wright, Jared LeBoff and Glenn Close serving as executive producers.

The film co-stars Mark Strong, Paul Walter Hauser, Emily Beecham and Joel Fry. You can see them in action – along with their outfits from costume designer Jenny Beavan (Mad Max: Fury Road, A Room with a View) – on 28th May, when Cruella arrives on our screens. Disney in the UK has confirmed that the film will be released on Disney+ with a Premier Access fee (usually £19.99) and also in cinemas (where available) on the same day “in most Disney+ markets”, which we understand includes the UK and Ireland as well as the USA.

The move follows a similar model used last year for Mulan and earlier this year Raya and the Last Dragon, but this time comes with a theatrical component – and with cinemas currently set to open again on 17th May, according to the government’s roadmap out of lockdown, you should get the choice of big or small screen.

For now, here’s the first trailer for the film, which follows the punk-style poster unveiled yesterday and is accompanied by Who’s Sorry Now? by Connie Francis.

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