Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown is taking on a new role as a damsel in distress — but not everything is as it seems.
This isn’t your average damsel in distress movie; it’s not even close.
Rather than Prince Charming saving the princess from a dragon, he sacrifices her to a dragon, seemingly to protect his kingdom.
Oscar-nominated filmmaker Juan Carlos Fresnadillo’s Damsel follows Elodie (Millie Bobby Brown) on her own journey to survive, and it is life or death.
“What I really loved in the script from Dan Mazeau was embracing the idea of a fantasy adventure and a princess and dragon story, but taking it into a place [where] it’s completely upside down,” Fresnadillo tells Tudum.
“It was a very intense journey that I was so excited to design and to develop. At the core, this is such a beautiful story about a young woman becoming a strong, independent, and empowered adult. Elodie doesn’t have any kind of support. It’s a real survival experience.”
Only a glimpse of Elodie’s obstacles can be seen in the teaser for the movie, coming out next year.
So, besides Millie Bobby Brown, Angela Bassett, Robin Wright, and Nick Robinson, what else can we expect from this new spin on a fairy tale?
What is Damsel about?
Damsel follows Millie Bobby Brown as Elodie. The new princess joins the royal family, but there’s a twist: she was (mostly) recruited to be sacrificed to repay an ancient debt, and she only has herself to rely on for her survival.
Plus, the audience only has her to rely on to tell the story and to show what happens inside the dragon’s lair.
“You feel that you are experiencing the journey of surviving and facing this creature with Elodie,” Fresnadillo says. “The emotional arc is so intense.”
The real situation is foreshadowed in the teaser, along with footage of Elodie in the depths of a mountain cave.
“For generations, it has been our task to protect our people,” Wright narrates in the teaser. “So tonight, you join a long line of women who have helped to build this kingdom.”
The teaser also shows Elodie seeing the names of others before her have been carved into the wall of the cave, a moment that stands out in the teaser.
“It’s a thrilling adventure with a really dark twist to put you on the edge of your seat,” Fresnadillo says.
“As a filmmaker, one of the things I always want to do is surprise the audience with a new take on a story. Especially this kind of [traditional story] — we have to modernize those tales with new takes, more modern and real ways, to connect with the audience.”
Who is the cast of Damsel and when does the movie come out?
Along with powerhouses Brown, Bassett, and Wright, the film has other amazing actors and actresses joining the cast.
Ray Winstone, Nick Robinson, Brooke Carter, Shohreh Aghdashloo, and, of course, the dragon take the stage in this intriguing film.
Damsel does not have an official release date yet, but it will arrive on Netflix in 2024.