Disney’s upcoming live action outing,Cruellawill not be shying away from the iconic villain’s nefarious schemes and violent outlook, with the movie now officially rated PG-13.Cruellahas been given this rating due to “some violence and thematic elements,” meaning it will likely be a little more adult-oriented than the animated adventures on which it’s based.
Cruellais not the first live actionDisneyfeature to receive a PG-13 rating, with the recent remake ofMulanalso given the same designation. While this was not too surprising, as the latter deals with war and swordfights, it’s a wonder whatCruellawill involve. A description like “thematic elements” is really rather vague, but with the movie set to depict the events that led to Cruella de Vil becoming obsessed with dogs' skins, especially dalmatians,Cruellacould get a bit dark as the character slowly grows into the ruthless and terrifying legend that we all love to hate.
The recent trailer forCruellaquickly garneredcomparisons to R-rated movies like director Todd Phillips' Joker, so perhaps these comparisons were not quite as laughable as first thought, with the movie telling the same story of a disturbed antihero-type lead. Albeit the Disney version, of course.
Cruellawill pick up with the infamous Disney characterin 1970s London amidst the punk rock revolution, and 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 theBaroness von Hellman, a fashion legend who is devastatingly chic and terrifyingly haute. 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.
The movie will introduce audiences to a much younger version of the character than we’re used to, and centres around iconic Disney villain Cruella de Vil, charting her early life, long before she became a dog-murdering maniac. Directed byI, TonyaandLars and the Real Girl’sCraig Gillespie from a screenplay written by Aline Brosh McKenna (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend), Jez Butterworth (Ford v Ferrari), Kelly Marcel (Venom), and Tony McNamara (The Favourite), as well as Dana Fox and Steve Zissis.
Cruellahas amassed an all-star cast led byLa La Landactress and Academy Award winner Emma Stone in the titular role of notorious criminal Cruella de Vil, with the supporting cast set to feature the likes of two-time Oscar winner Emma Thompson as the Baroness, Paul Walter Hauser as Horace, Joel Fry as Jasper, Emily Beecham as Anita, Kirby Howell-Baptiste as Tabitha, and Jamie Demetriou as Gerald.
Cruellais scheduled to be released in the United States on June 18, 2025, by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.
Cruellais just one of several live-action Disney projects due to be released by the studio, including a remake ofPinocchiodirected by Robert Zemeckis and starring Tom Hanks as Geppetto, a live action remake of Disney’s 1953 animated filmPeter PantitledPeter Pan & Wendy, andEnchanted 2, the long-awaited sequel to 2007’sEnchantedwhich will reunite Amy Adams and Patrick Dempsey. This comes to us courtesy ofFilm Ratings.
