Disney’s ‘Cruella’ Trailer: Emma Stone Goes Punk Rock in First Trailer

Walt Disney Studios released the first trailer for Cruella on Wednesday, giving fans a new glimpse of Emma Stone as a punk rock version of Cruella de Vil. Stone goes heavy on the eye make-up, leather and other counter-culture trappings for the live-action prequel movie. So far, fans cannot help but compare the look to their own Hot Topic phase outfits.

Cruella is a prequel to 101 Dalmations that Disney has been promising for over a year now, telling the origin story of the villain herself. It is set in London in the 1970s, which is a pretty significant aesthetic shift from the original 1920s version. However, it also opens up a whole new world of fashion for de Vil, and puts her half-black, half-white hairdo in a new perspective.

Other parts of the story remain the same — Cruella de Vil is still a high-roller in the fashion industry in this version, so her pun rock-chic outfits are a little more high-end than you might see on the streets of Piccadilly. Still, there can be no doubt that her costumes are inspired by the British invasion-era of punk rock, creating a surprising juxtaposition with her wealth, status and cruelty towards animals.

“Cruella de Vil is Disney’s Harley Quinn,” one fan commented on the trailer. Another wrote: “Hope this will be a good one. Emma Stone is perfect for this character.”

According to Disney, the prequel will reveal that Cruella de Vil began as “a young grifter named Estella, a clever and creative girl determined to make a name for herself with her designs.” It will apparently depict her meeting with her henchmen, Jasper and Horace, before tracking her rise into the fashion industry by any means necessary.

Cruella has been in the works for at least a year and a half now. Disney released the first teaser image for the movie back in August of 2019, showing Stone as Cruella with three dalmatians leashed before her, and Jasper (Joel Fry) and Horace (Paul Walter Hauser) posing behind her. After months of silence, fans now have a trailer and a new poster to get excited about as well.

The wait will not be much longer either. Cruella is scheduled for release on May 28, 2021. However, it is not clear if it will be available to stream or if it will only go to theaters. Cruella has not yet received a rating from the Motion Picture Association.