Cruella Pirated on Torrent Sites Months Ahead of India Release

A theatrical release date for India is unclear due to COVID-19.

By Akhil Arora | Updated: 28 May 2021 14:08 IST

Cruella Pirated on Torrent Sites Months Ahead of India Release

Photo Credit: Laurie Sparham/Disney

Emma Stone in and as Cruella

Highlights

Cruella released Friday in cinemas in select markets
Also on Disney+ with Premier Access for additional fee
Staggered release due to COVID-19 a hassle for Disney

Cruella has arrived on torrent sites and other networks that enable piracy, in multiple different resolutions and file size (from 7.5GB to 16GB). While most copies of the Disney movie are arguably genuine, given the attached screenshots and user comments attesting to their legitimacy, some are fraudulent and merely exist as a trap to load viruses, malware, and whatnot onto the computers of unsuspecting individuals. And because the Emma Stone-led Cruella is being released directly online — available in cinemas and on Disney+ with Premier Access in select markets — most genuine pirated copies have good video and audio quality. Gadgets 360 does not condone illegal file-sharing. It is against the law and filmmakers deserve to be paid for the content they create.

The first legitimate version of Cruella showed up on torrent sites such as RARBG and 1337x on Friday, merely half an hour after release on Disney+. The Disney film is available in full-HD 1080p and 4K 2160p resolution with support for Dolby Atmos audio. (High-definition) piracy is always an issue for movies that are released online, but this further complicates the matter for Disney as Cruella is not available in markets where cinemas are closed (due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic) and that don't have Disney+ with Premier Access. That includes the likes of India, where Cruella will only release once most cinemas are reopened across the country, or on August 27 on Disney+ Hotstar — whichever is first.

On Cruella, Stone plays aspiring fashion designer Estella “Cruella” de Vil who will go on to become the Dalmatian fur-obsessed villain from 101 Dalmatians. The Disney movie also stars Emma Thompson as haute fashion legend and Estella's boss Baroness von Hellman, Joel Fry and Paul Walter Hauser as thieving brothers Jasper and Horace Badun who are hired by Estella, Emily Beecham as Estella's adoptive mother Catherine de Vil, Kirby Howell-Baptiste as journalist and Estella's childhood friend Anita “Tattletale” Darling, Mark Strong as the Baroness' valet John, Jon McCrea as Estella's entourage member Artie, and Kayvan Novak as the Baroness' lawyer Roger.

New Cruella Trailer Finds Emma Stone Relishing Her Cruella Side

Craig Gillespie (I Tonya) is the director on Cruella, working a screenplay by Dana Fox (The Wedding Date) and Tony McNamara (The Great). Andrew Gunn (Freaky Friday), Marc Platt (Mary Poppins Returns) and Kristin Burr (Christopher Robin) are the producers, with Michelle Wright, Jared LeBoff, Glenn Close, and Stone serving as executive producers. Cruella was made on an estimated budget of $200 million (about Rs. 1,452 crores).

Cruella is out Friday, May 28 in cinemas and on Disney+ with Premier Access in select markets. It will release August 27 on Disney+ Hotstar.

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Further reading: Cruella, Emma Stone, Disney, Disney Plus, Disney Plus Premier Access, 101 Dalmatians, One Hundred and One Dalmatians, Torrents, Piracy