All 5 Cruella De Vil Movies in Order
Is there anyone that hasn’t heard of her? With “cruel” and “devil” in her name, she is an eccentric, manic heiress whose infatuation with furs drives her to sadistic insanity and immoral acts. You guessed it – it’s Cruella de Vil.
Since her first appearance in Dodie Smith’s novel, The Hundred and One Dalmatians (1956), Cruella has become one of the most famous villains. The story gained most of its fame from being adapted into an animated Disney film, but the rise of Cruella de Vil hasn’t stopped there. Who would have thought that this villainess would prove so successful that her character would become a pop-culture icon and a symbol of greed spiced up with vanity? Let’s dive right into the origins of Cruella de Vil, before moving on to one of the most anticipated movies in 2022.
How Many Cruella De Vil Movies Are There?
There are five Cruela de Vil movies. though it may seem hard to keep an exact count, as this villainess makes a lot of appearances in many series and films, we can round the number of movies to five Cruella de Vil movies. A promising update on the development of a sequel to the latest Disney villain movie has been made, so we can expect a new installment anytime soon.
Cruella de Vil Movies in Order:
Here are the Cruella de Vil movies in order of release:
- 101 Dalmatians (1961)
- 101 Dalmatians (live-action, 1996)
- 102 Dalmatians (2000)
- 101 Dalmatians II: Patch’s London Adventure (2002)
- Cruella (2021)
Cruella’s character can also be seen in 101 Dalmatians: The Series (1997), 101 Dalmatian Street series (2019), and many other Disney animations, as well as other television series and films, such as Once Upon a Time (2011-2018) and Descendants (2015).
What Is the Best Way to Watch Cruella de Vil Movies?
The best way to watch Cruella de Vill movies is in order of release. Although it isn’t strictly required to watch all of the movies on the list to be able to understand the plots of the sequels, we suggest that the Cruella de Vil movies be watched in order of the release date. Here’s why:
As it has already been stated, it is not necessary to watch all of the movies to understand the latest installments. But, it is always good to see where it all began. Written by Dodie Smith, Disney’s 101 Dalmatians (1961) was the first movie adaptation of the 1956 children’s novel. It was also Disney’s 17th animated feature film! Can you imagine how far Disney has come since then?
By watching the Cruella de Vil movies in order of release, you’ll be able to witness the series’ improvement over six decades. Ultimately, the choice is yours; if you choose to do so, you can also watch the animated features first, before moving on to the other live-action films.
Cruella de Vil Movies in Order by Release Date
101 Dalmatians (1961)
IMDb rating: 7.3/10
A litter of Dalmatian puppies is abducted by Cruella de Vil and her minions, which leaves the owners no choice but to find them before she uses them for a sadistic fashion statement.
101 Dalmatians (live-action, 1996)
IMDb rating: 5.7/10
An evil fashion designer plots to steal dalmatian puppies to make an extravagant fur coat – but, makes a mess instead.
102 Dalmatians (2000)
IMDb rating: 4.8/10
Cruella de Vil gets out of prison…going after the puppies once more.
101 Dalmatians II: Patch’s London Adventure (2002)
IMDb rating:5.7/10
Patch, one of the 101 puppies, doesn’t feel unique. But, when he’s accidentally left behind on moving day, he gets to meet his idol Thunderbolt, who enlists him in a publicity campaign.
Cruella (2021)
IMDb rating: 7.3/10
This feature film is a live-action prequel, following a young Cruella de Vil. And, it’s devilishly good.
Interesting Cruella (2021) Trivia
If you might have missed some of the most interesting trivia and funniest goofs while watching the latest Cruella installment, don’t worry – we’ve got you covered.
- Have you noticed that the film seen on TV while Cruella is in the hotel room, is actually Alfred Hitchcock‘s Lifeboat from 1944? The scene shows Tallulah Bankhead, an actress, on whom the animated appearance of Cruella de Vil was apparently based.
- The sound of the truck horn when Cruella honks at the jail is basically the same as her car honk in the first novel adaptation, 101 Dalmatians from 1961.
- Do you remember the classic image of Cruella, the one in which we can see her smoking a large cheroot? Well, that element is completely missing from this version, as Disney has banned characters being shown smoking, since 2007.
- The term “homicide” is not at all common in the UK; the more likely phrase would be “murderous maniac”. The film is full of other Americanisms, too; for example, “grifts” would, in the UK, be referred to as “cons” and “scams”.
Are Cruella de Vil Movies Connected?
Though technically based on the same novel by Dodie Smith, not all of the Cruella de Vil movies are part of the same series – and, therefore, not all of the movies are directly connected. For example, the latest installment from 2021, Cruella, acts as an origin story for the titular villain; all without any direct crossover to 101 Dalmatians. So, we could say that the movies are loosely connected.
Will There Be More Cruella de Vil Movies?
So far, the future seems promising; one Cruella star, Paul Walter Hauser, provided an update regarding the development of a sequel to the Cruella (2021). In an interview with Forbes, Hauser stated that he’s told they’re “doing it next year”. Given that timeframe, we can probably expect to see the second Cruella movie somewhere around late 2023 to 2024. Feeling thrilled, yet?
Where to Watch Cruella de Vil Movies?
Although none of the movies are currently in theaters, the Cruella de Vil movies are easily found on various video streaming services and online sites, such as Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, and Hulu. If you still haven’t, take some time to get to know one of Disney’s most infamous villains – we promise it will be worth it.
