Five Reasons The Cruella Spin-Off Will Not Be A Hit (Op-Ed)

We all know her name, but the question remains: Can Disney do justice by her? Or will it be disparaged by critics?

With Disney dishing out more and more live-action content as the years’ progress and Disney+ taking over the small screens, the remakes, sequels, and spin-offs were bound to touch almost every past Disney classic. 

However, not a lot of people would have guessed that there would be a live-action spinoff centered around the devious Cruella Deville. One can only guess how this will fare with critics and at the box office.

5. Nobody Asked For It

Disney has already remade a slew of their other works that it seems apt that they would veer into some more experimental territories, so to speak, with spin-offs and prequels. However, with so much buzz around their other projects, it doesn’t sound like the people are just clamoring for a Cruella prequel. 

It sounds like this might be the Solo of the DIsney remakes. It looks good on paper but will, eventually, get dismissed at the box office as something the people could have easily lived without.

4. It’s Not Apart Of The Disney Renaissance

While many live-action disney remakes like The Lion King, Beauty and The Beast, and Aladdin have all cracked a billion at the box office, their respective cartoon counterparts have been made in the 90s and are more well-known than 101 Dalmatians. Given the fact that the majority of Disney remakes that made a billion were originally made in the 90s, it’s hard seeing Cruella matching those box office receipts. 

When most people tell you about Disney nostalgia, the 101 Dalmatians franchise was not at the top of their list and that just leaves it with much to be desired come box office opening. 

3. It Doesn’t Sound Like Anything New

At this point in the Disney remake campaign, it sounds like they are just recycling old material, hoping and praying that it works to their benefit of turning a profit. Everyone knows how the outline of the story might turn out. A crazed woman is obsessed with spotted dogs at an early age, has an event or series of events happen to her that turn her evil and sets in motion the events of 101 Dalmatians.

These plot points could have easily been drawn out by a seventh grader in English class and add almost nothing to the Disney legacy, which won’t leave much of an impact with the audience. 

2. Other Villains Could’ve Gotten The Spotlight

We’ve already seen Angelina Jolie’s Maleficent dazzle audiences with her captivating screen presence, but that just begs the question: Why did Disney feel the next villain get their own movie should have been Cruella?

Perhaps if Disney took more calculated risks and focused on a Lion King prequel that centered around Scar or maybe even a Captain Hook or Jafar-related prequel/spin-off it might captivate the audience more because whether you like it or not, Cruella Deville is not the most fascinating villain in the Disney pantheon. That’s not to say she’s a terrible villain, though. There could have been so many options and it looks like Disney has a missed opportunity before the film is even released. 

1. Glenn Close Isn’t playing Cruella

When people found out Emma Stone was playing the evil Cruella, many Disney fans were left scratching their heads. Most people know the iconic villain being portrayed by Glenn Close. 

Understandably, the filmmakers were trying to go for a younger version of the character, but doing the version without Close already seems dumbfounding.