Disney revealed the first glimpse at Cruella de Vil's origin story in a new Cruella promo clip. The highly anticipated Walt Disney Studios film is set to shed light on the iconic villain, unveiling events prior to her malicious turn in 101 Dalmatians. Oscar-winner Emma Stone has donned the iconic black-and-white wig, starring alongside Emma Thompson, Mark Strong, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, and Joel Fry. The movie is set to debut in theaters and as a Premiere Access release on Disney+ on May 28.
Thus far, it's clear Cruella will follow in the footsteps of previous Disney origin stories like Maleficent. Audiences will meet the Dalmatian-obsessed diva as Estella, a budding criminal who arrives in London during the 70s to cut her teeth in the fashion world. Along the way, she manages to catch the eye of legendary fashionista Baroness von Hellman (Thompson). Based on the sneak peeks Disney has shared so far, Estella adopts a fiery new persona in order to get ahead, transforming into Cruella.
Disney shared the first look at Cruella's childhood in a new promo video beckoning fans to "Discover the Origin of Cruel." Stone narrates over footage of Estella as a schoolgirl, saying: "From an early age, I felt I was meant for more in this life." The clip makes it clear Cruella was a rule-breaker from an early age. Despite attending what appears to be a uniformed prep school, she takes a fashion-forward approach and wears her jacket inside out to display the doodles she's created.
The new video also reveals that Cruella was bullied growing up. As she walks down her school hallway, already sporting her infamous black-and-white 'do, a classmate shoots a spitball at her face. Estella barely even flinches, hinting that she's used to the ridicule at that point. Young Cruella is played by Tipper Seifert-Cleveland, who's previously appeared on tv shows like Game of Thrones and in films like The Little Stranger.
By diving into her turbulent upbringing, the clip confirms that Disney will attempt to gain sympathy for Cruella. Like other origin stories, this one will unveil the emotional rollercoaster that seals the modish malefactor's evil fate. Audiences are used to dissecting and falling in love with even the most despicable of characters. In fact, Disney's Cruella is already being compared to DC's Birds of Prey and Joker. However, Stone dismissed those claims, saying the origin story will stand on its own. The difference is that Cruella winds up having a penchant for killing dogs and that's a pretty tough hurdle for even Disney to leap over. Only time will tell, darlings.
Source: Disney
