This is not a fairytale.
We finally have a first trailer for anticipated Netflix movie Damsel, which stars Millie Bobby Brown in the main role as Elodie, a “dutiful damsel who agrees to marry a handsome prince”.
But all is not as it seems, as Elodie quickly finds out the marriage is just a ruse for the family’s darker secret and ancient debt, which they will use her as a sacrifice for.
The trailer starts off much like any fairytale, with Elodie being dressed by a group of maids and being told she has been matched with Prince Henry (Nick Robinson). Things look cheery for the pair as they stand gazing at each other and then Elodie and his mother are introduced.
But things soon take a turn for the worse when Elodie’s step-mother Lady Bayford (Angela Bassett) tells Elodie that she doesn’t trust the royal family Elodie is about to marry into. And it turns out her feelings are right, as after marrying Elodie, Prince Henry throws her off a bridge and into a deep, dark cave with a fire-breathing dragon.
With nobody around to help her or hear her calls, Elodie is left to find (and fight) her way out of the cave, as we see she wastes no time in fashioning makeshift weapons and a system to try and scale the expansive walls of the cave. Will she succeed?
Watch the trailer for yourself below:
The new film has Brown leading the cast as Elodie, with the actress obviously best known for her roles in Stranger Things and Enola Holmes.
Aside from Brown, the star-studded cast also includes Angela Bassett (Black Panther), Ray Winstone, Nick Robinson (Maid), Brooke Carter (The Peripheral) and Shohreh Aghdashloo (House of Sand and Fog).
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The movie comes from Oscar-winning filmmaker Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, known for films such as 28 Weeks Later and Esposados.
Speaking about Damsel, Fresnadillo told Netflix’s Tudum: “It’s a thrilling adventure with a really dark twist to put you on the edge of your seat.
“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.”
Speaking about the script, he added: “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.
“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.”
Damsel premieres on Netflix on Friday 8th March. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide or visit our Film hub for all the latest news.
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