Disney will be back with another live action retelling of a fairy tale in March with Cinderella, directed by Oscar nominee Kenneth Branagh. The studio released the first trailer for the film, which shows just how evil Cate Blanchett can be and how enchanting Downton Abbey’s Lily James will be in the title role.
The trailer debuted at Yahoo Movies and reveals that Cinderella was born “Ella” in this story, with “Cinder” added by her ugly stepsisters to torment her. She’s not just waiting around her her man to come, though, Branagh said.
“We built the film around the idea that even though Cinderella would be delighted to find love, her life would not and could not be defined by whether she finds a man,” the Thor director told Yahoo. “She likes herself, and she has no sense of self-pity or being any kind of victim.”
We also see Hayley Atwell (Marvel’s Agent Carter) as Ella’s real mother, Richard Madden (Game of Thrones) as Prince Charming and Cate Blanchett as Lady Tremaine, the evil stepmother. In addition, Helena Bonham Carter plays the fairy godmother, because how can a fairytale movie be any good without Bonham Carter?
“[Blanchett] gives a sense of depth and wounds along the way that are not making a plea for sympathy, but definitely complicate one’s reaction to her,” Branagh explained.
There’s also plenty of CG animation throughout, because otherwise, the mice couldn’t transform into horses.
Cinderella hits theaters on March 13.
image courtesy of Peter West/ACE/INFphoto.com