Millie Bobby Brown's Netflix Fantasy Damsel Rounds Out Cast With Robin Wright And More
As we await Millie Bobby Brown's imminent return as everyone's favorite formerly (?) telepathic teen superhero Eleven, the "Stranger Things" and "Godzilla vs. Kong" star is keeping busy with production on "Damsel." The Netflix Original movie has added five new cast members in the forms of Robin Wright ("House of Cards"), Ray Winstone ("Black Widow"), Nick Robinson ("Love, Simon"), Brooke Carter ("The Alienist"), and Shohreh Aghdashloo ("The Expanse"), with Angela Bassett ("Black Panther") having previously boarded the project.
"28 Weeks Later" helmer Juan Carlos Fresnadillo is serving as director on "Damsel," drawing from an original script and story by "Wrath of the Titans" scribe Dan Mazeau. Per a report from Deadline, the movie centers on a "dutiful damsel" (Brown) who agrees to marry "a handsome prince," unaware that she's really meant to be sacrificed to a "fire-breathing dragon."
Additional information on "Damsel" came to light in November 2020, revealing that Brown (who is also executive producing) is playing Elodie, a princess "whose innocence gives way to a fierce warrior spirit when she finds herself fighting a dragon that's out to kill her." Other character details are being kept under-wraps for the time being, though I'm willing to go out on a limb and guess that Robinson is playing the prince, with Wright possibly co-starring as Elodie's mother. Yes, it seems Princess Buttercup herself may be playing a queen in this film. Only feels right, no?
Princess power!
"Damsel" is actually the first movie Fresnadillo has directed since the 2011 horror film "Intruders," though it's not for lack of trying. Indeed, he was once attached to the long-delayed "Crow" reboot and later signed on to helm Disney's live-action remake of "The Sword in the Stone." With the latter spinning its wheels at the moment, it's possible Fresnadillo is hoping to scratch his fantasy itch by making "Damsel" instead. Be that the case, you won't hear me complaining. I would much rather he direct an original fantasy-adventure with a female hero, as opposed to another cut-and-paste Disney retelling.
Moreover, between "Damsel" and Le-Van Kiet's "The Princess" at Hulu, it's a good time for those who could do with more movies about young women getting to battle dragons and save kingdoms all on their own. "Damsel" also looks to continue Brown's rewarding run with Netflix, which began with "Strange Things" season 1 and has since expanded to include the delightful mystery-adventure "Enola Holmes." With "Stranger Things" season 4 and "Enola Holmes 2" on their way in 2022 and "Damsel" likely arriving in 2023, the future is looking bright for the talented young artist.
You can catch Brown back in action as Eleven when Volume 1 of "Stranger Things" season 4 make its debut on Netflix on May 27, 2022.