Emma Stone is brilliant, bad & a little bit mad in new 'Cruella' Trailer

By Megan Armstrong | Last updated 2/17/21

For 60 years, since Disney cornerstone 101 Dalmatians debuted in 1961, villainess Cruella de Vil has hardly been described as endearing. Enter: Emma Stone. Walt Disney Studios unveiled the first trailer for Cruella on Tuesday morning, and the 32-year-old Oscar-winning actress only needs 90 seconds to completely dazzle in the role.

"From the very beginning, I realized I saw the world differently than everyone else," the titular character says at the beginning of the video. The Craig Gillespie-directed film serves as a live-action prequel set in 1970s London, where Estella de Vil is drawn into a life of mischief by local thieves. She eventually meets antagonist Baroness von Hellman (Emma Thompson), a famous fashionista who beckons Estella to her true calling as Cruella. "The thing is, I was born brilliant," Cruella says as the trailer tails off. "Born bad, and a little bit mad. I'm Cruella."

The premise is instantly attractive because of its well-established Dalmatians implications, but there is added heart in challenging the notion that nobody is born evil. While Stone's perfected British accent does wonders to sink viewers into this world, the work of two-time Oscar-winning costume designer Jenny Beaven ensures a fully immersive experience. Aline Brosh McKenna, known for credits on The Devil Wears Prada, crafted the screenplay alongside writers Dana Fox (Couples Retreat, What Happens in Vegas), Tony McNamara (The Favourite), Kelly Marcel (Fifty Shades of Grey) and Steve Zissis (Togetherness)

Stone isn't the first A-list actress to embody this role. The acclaimed Glenn Close played Cruella de Vil in the 1996 live-action 101 Dalmatians remake as well as the 2000 sequel 102 Dalmatians.

Cruella is expected to release to audiences May 28.

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