Cinderella is a 2015 romantic fantasy film directed by Kenneth Branagh and written by Chris Weitz. It is a live-action adaptation of the fairy tale of the same name, and Walt Disney's 1950 animated film. It stars Lily James as Cinderella, with an ensemble cast including Cate Blanchett, Richard Madden, Stellan Skarsgård, Holliday Grainger, Sophie McShera, Derek Jacobi, and Helena Bonham Carter.
Development for Cinderella began in May 2010, with producer Simon Kinberg and screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna attached to the project. Mark Romanek was initially set to direct in August 2011, but was fired by January 2013 due to creative differences with Disney and was replaced by Branagh, while Weitz was hired to revise McKenna's script. Casting began in November 2012, with Blanchett being the first actor to be cast. James signed on to portray the title role in April 2013, and the rest of the cast joined between May and September 2013. Principal photography took place at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire, England, from September to December 2013.
Cinderella premiered at the 65th Berlin International Film Festival on February 13, 2015, and was released theatrically in the United States on March 13 by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, in conjunction with the animated film's 65th anniversary. It grossed $543 million worldwide and received positive reviews from critics. It was nominated for costume design at the 88th Academy Awards, 21st Critics' Choice Awards, and 69th British Academy Film Awards.
Plot
Ella, the kindhearted daughter of a wealthy merchant, lives happily with her parents. Ella's mother becomes ill; on her deathbed, she instructs Ella to always have courage and be kind. Years later, Ella's father marries the widowed Lady Tremaine, who has two daughters of her own, Drisella and Anastasia. After overhearing that Ella's father still misses his first wife, Lady Tremaine becomes bitterly jealous. When Ella's father leaves on a business trip, Lady Tremaine persuades Ella to give up her large bedroom to her stepsisters and move into the attic. Ella's father dies of illness during the journey, and Lady Tremaine dismisses all the household servants to save money, forcing their duties upon Ella instead. Seeing her face covered in cinders after sleeping by the fireplace, Ella's stepfamily mockingly dubs her "Cinderella".
Distraught by her stepfamily's mistreatment of her, Ella goes for a ride in the woods. There, she comes across a stag hunt, and meets Kit, the crown prince, who introduces himself as a palace apprentice. They take a liking to each other, but part without him learning her name. Back at the palace, Kit learns that his terminally ill father plans to throw a royal ball, so Kit may choose a princess to marry. Kit persuades the king to invite all the eligible maidens in the land, secretly hoping Ella will come.
Ella, also wanting to see Kit again, refashions her mother's old dress and attempts to join her stepfamily at the ball. However, they rip her dress and leave her behind. Ella runs into the garden in tears, and meets an old beggar woman, who reveals herself to be her fairy godmother. She magically transforms a pumpkin into a carriage, mice into horses, lizards into footmen, and a goose into a coachman. She then bestows Ella an exquisite blue ball gown and glass slippers. After casting a final spell to prevent Ella's stepfamily from recognizing her, the Fairy Godmother warns her the magic will end at the last stroke of midnight.
When Ella arrives at the ball, Kit is delighted to see her, and gives her the first dance. The Grand Duke, who promised Kit to Princess Chelina of Zaragoza for political reasons, expresses annoyance and is overheard by Lady Tremaine. Although surprised to learn Kit is the prince, Ella bonds with him, and they fall deeper in love. However, before she can tell him her name, the clock chimes close to midnight, and she flees the palace, losing one of her glass slippers. The Grand Duke pursues her, but Ella manages to hide right before the magic dissipates.
The next morning, Lady Tremaine notices Ella acting unusually jolly when hearing about the events at the ball, and becomes suspicious. On his deathbed, the King gives Kit his blessing to marry Ella. As the new King, Kit issues a proclamation professing his love for "the mysterious princess who wore glass slippers to the ball" and requests she present herself. Ella hurries to retrieve the slipper to prove her identity, but Lady Tremaine finds it first. She attempts to blackmail Ella into making her the head of the royal household, but Ella refuses. Lady Tremaine breaks the slipper and locks Ella in the attic. She brings the remains to the Grand Duke, and reveals the truth to him. He agrees to make Lady Tremaine a countess and secure advantageous marriages for her daughters, if she will keep Ella hidden forever.
Suspecting the Grand Duke is plotting something, Kit orders the Grand Duke and the Captain of the Guard to find the mystery princess by trying the intact slipper on every woman in the kingdom. At Ella's house, the shoe fits neither stepsister, and the company prepares to depart, until they hear Ella singing in the attic. Kit, who has secretly accompanied the group, commands the Captain to investigate, forcing Lady Tremaine to release Ella. Ella successfully tries on the slipper and, as she leaves with Kit, forgives her stepmother. Soon afterward, Lady Tremaine, her daughters, and the Grand Duke leave the kingdom permanently, while Ella and Kit marry and become its most beloved monarchs, ruling with the same courage and kindness that Ella had promised her mother.
Cast
Cate Blanchett as Lady Tremaine, Ella's bitter, jealous stepmother, who resents her stepdaughter for her unbreakable spirit and kindness. Blanchett described her character as a "woman who has tried to start her life again, and becomes intensely jealous of the deep affection that her new husband has for his daughter, Cinderella. She's not as beautiful and not as kind and as good as Cinderella. When Cinderella's father dies, the financial pressures, the panic and the jealousy grow... that is what makes her wicked." Lily James as Ella, also known as Cinderella, a strong-willed and kind-hearted young woman who is forced to become a maidservant in her own house by her stepfamily. James described her character as a "kind, good person that is able to be happy in a cruel environment, and that is her superpower... I think we have to, to get through life, which can throw us off. I think what's amazing about Ella is that she's the best version of herself, at all times." Eloise Webb as 10-year-old Ella. Richard Madden as Prince Kit, a humble and noble soon-to-be king who falls in love with Ella, despite his duty to marry the princess for the good of his kingdom. Madden described his character as "someone who had a sense of humor and who is aware of his own privilege and who has compassion for everyone around him." Helena Bonham Carter as the Fairy Godmother, a ditzy yet caring sorceress who helps Ella get to the ball. She also serves as the film's narrator. Bonham Carter's casting is a homage to Verna Felton, who voiced the character in the 1950 animated film, and also The Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland a year later whom Bonham Carter played a hybrid version of the character and the Red Queen in the 2010 live-action adaptation and 2016 sequel. Nonso Anozie as the Captain, Kit's sarcastic yet loyal best friend and confidant. Anozie described his character as "somebody who's a bit of a role model and somebody who's rooting for him [Kit] to get what he wants." Stellan Skarsgård as the Grand Duke, a shady and calculating royal functionary who seeks the prosperity of the kingdom by questionable actions. Unlike his animated counterpart, this version of the character is portrayed in a more antagonistic light. Skarsgård described his character as someone who "runs the show, is very pragmatic, and doesn't approve of the absolutely silly idea that anyone should marry out of love, the Prince included." Sophie McShera and Holliday Grainger as Drisella and Anastasia Tremaine, Lady Tremaine's vain and shallow biological daughters and Ella's stepsisters. McShera described their characters as "pretty vile, but we look ridiculous, so you can't help but feel a bit sorry for us sometimes", while Grainger elaborated that "they are both so needy and look up to their mother so much that they have no self-esteem, which manifests itself through jealousy and selfishness directed toward Cinderella." Derek Jacobi as the King, Kit's strict yet loving father who wants him to marry both for his own good and for the good of the kingdom. Jacobi described his character as "very traditional in that he wants his son to inherit a safe and secure kingdom, which means he needs to enter into a mutually-advantageous marriage."
The film also features Ben Chaplin and Hayley Atwell as Ella's biological parents. Additionally, Rob Brydon plays Master Phineus, the royal painter. Jana Pérez portrays Princess Chelina of Zaragoza, Kit's unwanted suitor, whom the Grand Duke wants him to marry. Alex Macqueen appears as the Royal Crier. Tom Edden and Gareth Mason play Lizard Footman and Goose Coachman, the human forms of Ella's animal friends. Paul Hunter portrays John, a farmer who works for Ella's family. Joshua McGuire appears as the Palace Official. Josh O'Connor appears as the Ballroom Palace Guard.
Production Development
Walt Disney Pictures began developing a live-action reimagining of Charles Perrault's fairy tale Cinderella in May 2010, following the box-office success of Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland (2010). The studio made a seven-figure pitch deal with Aline Brosh McKenna and Simon Kinberg, who were set as screenwriter and producer, respectively. According to Sean Bailey, studio chairman Alan F. Horn wanted to make the film a "definitive Cinderella for generations to come", and told him that if he needed to "spend a little more, spend it, to make sure it's one for the time capsule".
McKenna's initial drafts suggested a "swashbuckling" take on the story, with the prince being groomed for a politically arranged marriage until he meets Cinderella, recast as a knight, whom McKenna described as "somebody who's learning to go after what she wants. Basically, she gets separated from the prince and has to find her way back to him, but it's more complicated than that. She's very active and independent". However, the idea was discarded, since the studio needed a more "recognizable" approach to the story.
In August 2011, Mark Romanek was hired to direct the film, with Chris Weitz brought on to revise McKenna's script in February 2012. Romanek supervised the project for fifteen months, envisioning a film that would be like "Barry Lyndon but with magic". In January 2013, it was reported that Romanek left the project due to creative differences with Disney, as his vision of the film was darker than the studio wanted. However, he would later clarify that he did not leave the project willingly, but was fired when an executive change occurred at Disney. Later that month, Kenneth Branagh was announced to take over as director, and by April 2013, Allison Shearmur and David Barron were hired as producers.
Casting