Cruella (Live-Action)

[DisneyFan97]

This looks AMAZING

It looks like Disney’s version of the Joker movie from Todd Philips

And i loved the Joker movie !!

[rodrigo_ca]

Oh gosh this looks like straight outta my head because it's everything I hoped it would be and I was certain it wouldn't be anything like it . I'm so glad they aren't making a sorry or a sympathetic Cruella. Burn it all, Cruella

[Sotiris]

That was...different. I'm not sure what to make of it, really. Is Disney trying to turn Cruella into the Joker or Harley Quinn? From the trailer, it seems she likes to antagonize the Baroness character. Were those bats she had the runway filled with? I feel this movie is suffering from an identity crisis. It's stuck between being a sympathetic re-interpretation of the character with Cruella challenging the status quo and fighting against the wealthy elite and being an exploration of a truly sick and deranged individual. I fear it's going to fail at achieving either. Disney should have just picked a side and committed to it.

Emma Stone's English accent is so bad it's distracting. The scene where she burns her white cape to reveal the red dress underneath looked very fake. Going by the production values, it seems this had a lower budget than the average Disney remake.

[Sotiris]

New poster.


Source: https://twitter.com/cruella/status/1362025253791281156

[estefan]

What I interpreted from those 90 seconds of footage is it appears to be going for a "Wolf of Wall Street"-type arc, where she desperately wants to be part of the wealthy elite and become a respected fashion designer and will stop at nothing, no matter how evil or law breaking, to get to the top. The Emma Thompson character appears to be her main obstacle in that goal. Of course, this is complete speculation on my part. The trailer seemed to keep certain things purposely vague.

Emma Stone played a similar kind of role in "The Favourite", so she's definitely not opposed to playing unlikeable, manipulative personalities with a bad streak.

[UmbrellaFish]

The scene where she burns her white cape to reveal the red dress underneath looked very fake.

That was the only thing that bothered me about the trailer. The tone of this movie appears to be mostly realistic (if stylized and over the top) and the original 101 Dalmatians is notable for being one of the few Disney movies which is not set in the world of fantasy and magic (okay, the dogs talk— but they can’t communicate with humans). The burning her dress to reveal another one is just too fantastic for this world.

Emma Stone played a similar kind of role in "The Favourite", so she's definitely not opposed to playing unlikeable, manipulative personalities with a bad streak.

The final bit where she says her name reminded me of something out of “The Favourite.”

[Vlad]

Gosh, her make-up and outfits are amazing. This looks like it's gonna be great. I'm relieved they didn't make her misunderstood or anything like they did to Maleficent, or at least, that's what it looks from the trailer. I'm very excited about this

[D82]

The movie looks great to me! It looks more daring than other Disney remakes, though we'll see if the trailer reflects the actual film. I end up finding most of these remakes disappointing, so I'm not too optimistic, but I'm much more excited for the film than before.

New poster.

I think I prefer it to the previous one.

Were those bats she had the runway filled with?

That's what I too thought at first, but they look too small to be bats. I think they might be moths. Since it's a runway, and moths are the enemies of cloths, it would be a fitting revenge on Cruella's part.

[Farerb]

The trailer didn't disappoint me. I really want Cruella to just be evil and crazy because she likes it, hoping there's no backstory to why she's like that. We don't need another Maleficent (though I can say that it won't be because they didn't even dare to make Maleficent bad).

Tony McNamara was the screenwriter of The Favorite, which is another film where Stone plays a manipulative sociopath, and it had a lot of wit and dark humor and I hope this is the case here as well, cause if it is we might be getting a live action film from Disney that is actually smart and sophisticated and not another Beauty and the Beast or Maleficent.

[D82]

I really want Cruella to just be evil and crazy because she likes it, hoping there's no backstory to why she's like that. We don't need another Maleficent (though I can say that it won't be because they didn't even dare to make Maleficent bad).

Judging by some details from the story that were revealed and by the fact that they've cast a child actress to play young Cruella, I guess there will be a backstory. I think they'll try to make her a bit sympathetic at the beginning, since she's the main character and they probably want the audience to root for her, but towards the end she'll clearly choose the wrong path and that will be the biggest difference from Maleficent. But that would still be a big difference, and like you said, unlike Maleficent it looks like Cruella will actually be allowed to be bad.

[D82]

New synopsis and stills:

Academy Award® winner Emma Stone (“La La Land”) stars in Disney’s “Cruella,” an all-new live-action feature film about the rebellious early days of one of cinemas most notorious – and notoriously fashionable – villains, the legendary Cruella de Vil. “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, a fashion legend who is devastatingly chic and terrifyingly haute, played by two-time Oscar® winner Emma Thompson (“Howards End,” “Sense & Sensibility”). 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.

Disney’s “Cruella” is directed by Craig Gillespie (“I Tonya”) from a screenplay by Dana Fox and Tony McNamara, story by Aline Brosh McKenna and Kelly Marcel & Steve Zissis. It was 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. Two-time Oscar®- winning costume designer Jenny Beavan (“Mad Max: Fury Road,” “A Room with a View”) creates the dazzling and imaginative costumes, which take on a life of their own.

Source: https://dapsmagic.com/2021/02/official- ... a-arrives/

[Sotiris]

That's what I too thought at first, but they look too small to be bats. I think they might be moths. Since it's a runway, and moths are the enemies of cloths, it would be a fitting revenge on Cruella's part.

That makes more sense. Thanks!

It was 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.

I'm surprised Glenn Close is still credited as an executive producer. Based on this interview, it seemed she had nothing to do with the film. I think her credit may have been just a contractual obligation.

One day, Estella’s flair for fashion catches the eye of the Baroness von Hellman.

The Baroness is named Hellman? I guess they really wanted a name that matches de Vil.

[Disney Duster]

The trailer looked great! Loved Cruella's dress changing with fire! Yes, D82, it must be months, good thinking! Hellman? Lol.

[Sotiris]

In its first 24 hours after dropping on Feb. 17, the trailer for Disney’s edgy live-action feature Cruella about the famed 101 Dalmatians villainess drew a very notable 71M views per sources. That’s a very exceptional number for a trailer dropping during the pandemic, even beating the 24 hour trailer viewership figures of pre-Covid theatrical releases Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (61.7M) and Will Smith-Guy Ritchie hit Aladdin (60.8M). True, Cruella‘s traffic is a far cry from Disney’s Lion King trailer which posted an awesome first day record of 224M global views after dropping on Thanksgiving Day 2018. Mulan‘s first teaser trailer was released in early July 2019 and also grabbed 175M first day views, but again, it was a different time for movies before Coronavirus.

That said, in the Covid 24-hour insane social media breaking news world, the volume of social conversation was enormous for Cruella at 265K mentions surpassing both Aladdin (228K) and Beauty and The Beast (154K) which benefitted respectively from the social footprints of Smith and Emma Watson.

Source: https://deadline.com/2021/02/cruella-tr ... 234697915/

[lord-of-sith]

Okay, so I've been a huge fan of the Cruella character my entire life. Like, dressed up as her for halloween as a 6-year old and watched the animated and Glenn Close versions over and over. To this day I am still a huge fan of this character. So, I was really interested in seeing this trailer to see what direction they were going in.

Even in terms of teaser trailers, this didn't tell us much. Definitely a tone-setting reel more than an actual trailer, which is perfectly fine. In truth, I really loved most of what I was seeing. The production design and costumes look so great, and I LOVED seeing her car look so much like the one we know from the live-action movie. There was only one thing I wasn't really buying in this trailer, and unfortunately...it's Emma stone.

Don't get me wrong, I am not an Emma Stone hater by any means. I think she's a very talented actress who has shown great versatility and very genuine performances throughout her career. That being said, I just wasn't buying her as the character so far. It seemed very "Kristen Wiig on SNL" vibes, like a fake trailer they would make for a sketch, but only her performance was in that mode. The "I am...Cruella!" moment was funnier to me than cool. And her wig? That's really the best they could do? Glenn's looked way better 25 years ago.

I am not trying to be a downer, because I really like most of what I'm seeing, I'm just not sold on Stone as this character yet. I will also agree with a lot of online comments saying this seems derivative of recent Joker and Harley Quinn movies, though I'm guessing that'd just the trailer edited to look that way. This kind of the opposite of the Maleficent issue where, even if you didn't like the aesthetic or storyline they were going with, Jolie was undeniably embodying the character.

Looking forward to seeing more and hopefully warming up to Stone's performance!

[D82]

New details about the story from the synopsis of a Russian book (mild spoilers, translated using Google Translate). It looks like Cruella will have a split personality.

Estella was an unusual child. First, of course, the hair - one half of the head is white and the other is black. She also had an incredible talent - from a young age, Estella could create mind-blowing outfits that boggle the imagination. It’s not hard to guess that for Estella making friends was not so easy, and therefore Cruella often came to the fore - this is what Estella’s mother called the confident, but somewhat cruel side of her daughter. But her mother had no idea that someday this particular part of Estella would help her survive and make her wildest dreams come true. And also to take revenge on the one who was supposed to open the way to the big world for Estella, and instead destroyed her life ...

Source: https://eksmo.ru/book/kruella-ITD1075411/


There's also another book description on the same site, but I think it's for the prequel novel inspired by the film, since though it's titled Meet Cruella! there, it says it is by the same author.

Estella knows that she will be a great success. Let her now vegetate in the Den and sew the costumes of lackeys and cleaning ladies so that she and her friends can get their own food, the girl is sure that one day she will become a famous fashion designer. Therefore, when fate confronts Estella with the frivolous rich woman Magda and her brother Richard and they are fascinated by her talent, the girl knows that this chance cannot be missed. And now Estella bursts into a new life. She is now part of London's highest and most stylish society. It seems that the whole world is at her feet. Just not enough hair dye and newspaper dress to hide Estella's true identity. And so one day Cruella will come out.

Source: https://eksmo.ru/book/stervella-origina ... TD1126904/


And here's a new domestic book about the movie:

Get inside the creative mind of one of Disney’s most iconic villains, Cruella de Vil!

Inside this personal diary with fashion sketches throughout, readers will get a first-person account of the events of the film Cruella from Cruella’s unique point of view. This in world book contains full color illustrations of high fashion sketches, images from the film, and written accounts that will take readers inside the mind of the cruelest designer of them all.

Source: https://www.amazon.com/Cruellas-Sketchb ... 1368062334

[Sotiris]

It looks like Cruella will have a split personality.

[Disney's Divinity]

If she has a split personality, no way will she be a villain entirely otherwise they'd be painting mental illness = evil. I haven't paid attention to this thread in ages since I have zero interest, so I didn't realize there was a trailer out. I'll try to watch it sometime the next few days. That said, if they were planning to imitate Joker, the best way would've been not having her challenging a "rich elite," but rather to counter the message of Joker. Joker was essentially about white male rage at the changing world overall; Cruella would've been a perfect story to use as a counterpoint by focusing on feminist dissatisfaction at a continually disappointing and uneven world. Developing a split personality to be ruthless and cutthroat to make it as a woman in business rather than simply to fit in with friends would've been a better direction. Trying to channel white male rage with a female character is a huge misfire, but so is this whole project from the designs, story--everything.

[Disney Duster]

That said, if they were planning to imitate Joker, the best way would've been not having her challenging a "rich elite," but rather to counter the message of Joker. Joker was essentially about white male rage at the changing world overall; Cruella would've been a perfect story to use as a counterpoint by focusing on feminist dissatisfaction at a continually disappointing and uneven world...Trying to channel white male rage with a female character is a huge misfire, but so is this whole project from the designs, story--everything.

Actually, Joker was about all people, including that Black woman therapist, who had mental illness, cared for the mentally ill, or who were poor finally standing up to the rich elite and the rest of the world that didn't care about people with mental illnesses, those who took care if those with mental illnesses, or those in poverty. That's why it got nominated for Best Picture and Joker's actor won Best Actor. And that's why the Black woman therapist said, "They don't care about" people like her and Arthur.

[estefan]

Although worth pointing out Cruella started development before Joker was released, with Craig Gillespie being hired as director about a year before Joker opened, with filming starting in the summer of 2019. I'm sure Joker had some influence on the marketing, but how much it may have influenced the film itself remains to be seen, I think.