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Damsel (2024 film)
“Damsel” is a gripping 2024 American dark fantasy film directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo and penned by Dan Mazeau. The star-studded cast includes Millie Bobby Brown, Ray Winstone, Nick Robinson, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Angela Bassett, and Robin Wright.
Released by Netflix on March 8, 2024, “Damsel” quickly captured audiences’ imaginations. Prior to its release, author Evelyn Skye crafted a compelling novelization of the film. In her own words, Skye explained the process: “Dan Mazeau laid the foundation with his original screenplay. After delving into an early draft, I had the creative freedom to interpret the story my way, resulting in the novel. While both the book and the movie share a common genesis, they each stand as distinct artistic creations.”
Published by Penguin Random House on April 18, 2023, the novel provided fans with a deeper dive into the world of “Damsel,” offering a unique perspective on the narrative that complemented the cinematic experience.
Damsel (2024 film)
| Directed | Juan Carlos Fresnadillo |
|---|---|
| Written | Dan Mazeau |
| Story | |
| Produced |
|
| Cinematography | Larry Fong |
| Edited | John Gilbert |
| Music |
|
Production | Roth/Kirschenbaum Films |
| Distributed by | Netflix |
Release date | March 8, 2024 |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Summary
Elodie’s somber voiceover sets the tone, signaling that the tale ahead diverges sharply from the usual fairytale narrative. In the realm of Aurea, the first king leads a bold assault on a menacing dragon, resulting in the tragic loss of three newly-born dragonlings. Despite the king’s valiant efforts, the assault fails, leaving him vulnerable to the dragon’s wrath.
Fast forward centuries, and Elodie, daughter of Lord Bayford, receives a proposition from Queen Isabelle of Aurea to wed Prince Henry. Motivated by her father’s counsel to aid their struggling people, Elodie accepts the proposal, setting sail with her family for Aurea. While initial relations between Elodie and Henry seem amicable, Queen Isabelle’s cold demeanor towards Lady Bayford raises suspicions.
Following their union, Elodie and Henry partake in an ancient mountain ritual, where the grim truth behind Aurea’s peace treaty with the dragon is revealed. Elodie finds herself betrayed and cast into the dragon’s lair by her own husband. In a daring escape, she navigates treacherous terrain, uncovering dark secrets about the kingdom’s history and the sinister sacrifices made to keep the dragon appeased.
With resilience and cunning, Elodie outwits the dragon, confronting the truth behind Aurea’s facade of peace. Joined by unexpected allies, including the very creature she once feared, Elodie embarks on a journey to reclaim her sister and expose the kingdom’s deception. In a blaze of defiance, they shatter the illusions of royalty and tradition, sailing away from Aurea with newfound freedom and the enigmatic companion of the dragon.
Actors / Cast
- Millie Bobby Brown as by Elodie, a princess
- Ray Winstone as by Lord Bayford, Elodie’s father
- Angela Bassett as by Lady Bayford, Elodie’s stepmother
- Brooke Carter as by Floria, a princess and Elodie’s younger sister
- Nick Robinson as by Prince Henry, Queen Isabelle’s son
- Robin Wright as by Queen Isabelle
- Shohreh Aghdashloo as by the voice of the dragon
Production
“Damsel” was helmed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, with a script penned by Dan Mazeau. The film was produced by Joe Roth and Jeff Kirschenbaum under their production banner for Netflix. Additional literary material was attributed to Emily Ballou and Mark Bomback, although their credits appeared off-screen.
In November 2020, Millie Bobby Brown was cast in the role of Princess Elodie, also assuming the mantle of executive producer for the film. Later, in April 2022, reports surfaced detailing an ensemble cast including Angela Bassett, Nick Robinson, Robin Wright, Ray Winstone, Brooke Carter, and Shohreh Aghdashloo.
Principal photography commenced in early 2022, with cave scenes filmed at Troubadour Meridian Water Studios in London. Additional shooting locations spanned Portugal, encompassing picturesque sites like Tomar, Sortelha, Serra da Estrela, and the historic Batalha Monastery.
Release Date
Netflix originally slated the release of “Damsel” for October 13, 2023. However, the film’s debut was delayed due to the disruptions caused by the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike in the United States, impacting its promotional campaign. Consequently, the movie premiered for streaming audiences on March 8, 2024.
Ahead of the film’s release, author Evelyn Skye crafted a novelization of “Damsel.” Skye clarified that while Dan Mazeau penned the original screenplay, she was granted creative freedom to develop her own iteration of the narrative based on an early draft. This approach resulted in both the novel and the movie offering distinct interpretations of the story, despite sharing a common genesis.
Penguin Random House published Skye’s novelization on April 18, 2023, offering fans an alternate exploration of the “Damsel” universe alongside the cinematic experience.
