Disney just released the trailer for their darkest live-action movie yet, “Cruella”, and it was not what I was expecting from Disney. I was shocked to hear that Disney was creating a movie about someone that was known for killing puppies, but I have a feeling that Disney villains are going to be rising in popularity. There is just too much potential there for Disney not to go down that road eventually, especially if they are comfortable creating “Cruella” as dark and twisted as it seems to be. However, “Cruella” technically is not rated yet, so I’m interested to see how the rating and marketing for this film is handled.
From viewing the trailer, it appears that this movie is going to focus on Cruella De Vil’s early life in the 1970s London Punk scene. I am excited to see Emma Stone as Cruella, and I think she is going to do an amazing job. When I watched the trailer for the first time, I couldn’t help but think of the recently released “Joker” movie, maybe due to the darker themes and points where Cruella mentions she was, “born bad and a little bit mad.” Demystifying mental health is important and can be impactful if executed appropriately, and knowing Disney, I am either going to be really happy or very let down.
In terms of the iconic 101 dalmatians, the trailer shows three dalmatians growling at Cruella briefly, but that was the extent of actual dalmatians that I saw in the trailer. I am hoping to see more dogs in the movie, and my fingers are crossed that they somehow get to talk or communicate. It will be interesting to see how Disney incorporates aspects from the original “101 Dalmatians” movie while also giving Cruella her own story.
Overall, I think that “Cruella” has great potential. The cast and costuming looks great, and the music that was in the trailer was picked well. The last time we saw Cruella on the big screen was almost three decades ago in the 1996 live-action starring Glenn Close, and I am ecstatic for Creulla’s return. The expected release date is May 28, and it is said that we should expect it to be available in theaters, opposed to a digital release on their streaming platform, Disney+.
