What age is Cruella appropriate for?

Cruella is rated PG-13 and PopcornCheck recommends it for ages 10+, based on reading the actual screenplay. The film includes Catherine's death after being pushed from a cliff by dogs (implied to be orchestrated by the Baroness), a later revelation that the Baroness ordered her own newborn killed at birth, and a climactic warehouse fire where Cruella appears to die.

Does Cruella have swearing or bad language?

Cruella has Mild language. Mild language includes 'hell' (x3), 'damn' (x1), 'crap' (x1), 'bloody' (x2), 'blimey' (x3), and 'farts' (x1).

Cruella has Extreme violence. A school fight scene shows young Estella physically fighting with other children.

Is Cruella scary for children?

Cruella has Extreme scary scenes. Young Estella's mother Catherine falls to her death from a cliff after dogs are set on her — a sudden, startling moment early in the film.

Is Cruella OK for Kids?

Name: Cruella
Director: Craig Gillespie
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama
Released: 2021
Duration: 134 min
Cast: Emma Stone, Emma Thompson, Joel Fry, Paul Walter Hauser, John McCrea

ComedyCrimeDrama

10+

PG-13⭐ IMDb 7.3 / 102021 · 2h 14m

Craig Gillespie● Script verified

See all movies for 10-year-olds

Where to Watch

United States

Stream

Rent

Search on Amazon

As an Amazon Associate, PopcornCheck earns from qualifying purchases. Search results may include other editions; confirm the title, year and availability on Amazon.

Streaming data by JustWatch

What's In It

Based on the actual screenplay

🗡️Violence

Extreme▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Cartoon / Comedic

Action & Peril

Injuries & Death Shown

Graphic & Disturbing

A school fight scene shows young Estella physically fighting with other children.
The Black and White Ball features a coordinated heist with a fight sequence involving guards and thieves, plus a guard claiming his arm was broken.
Multiple London street chases and a dangerous car chase sequence add action-based peril without graphic injury.
It's implied the Baroness caused Catherine's death by setting dogs on her at the cliff's edge, and later reveals she ordered her own newborn child killed at birth — both deaths are discussed/implied rather than shown graphically.
A warehouse fire traps Cruella inside, and the final terrace confrontation ends with the Baroness falling from a cliff; overall tone mixes cartoonish chaos (Buddy the dog causing party mayhem, dogs disrupting a fashion show) with darker implied violence.

💬Language

Mild▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Mild Words

(damn, hell)

Moderate

(ass, b**ch)

Strong

(sh*t)

Extreme

(f**k)

Mild language includes 'hell' (x3), 'da**' (x1), 'cr*p' (x1), 'bloody' (x2), 'blimey' (x3), and 'farts' (x1).
Characters frequently use moderate insults like 'idiot/imbecile' (x8) and 'psycho' (x4), mostly directed at Cruella or between rival characters.
No f-words, c-words, or other strong/extreme profanity are used anywhere in the film.

👻Scary Scenes

Extreme▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Mildly Tense

Startling Moments

Genuinely Scary

Deeply Disturbing

Young Estella's mother Catherine falls to her death from a cliff after dogs are set on her — a sudden, startling moment early in the film.
The revelation that the Baroness ordered her own newborn (Cruella) killed at birth is a disturbing piece of backstory delivered later in the film.
The Baroness prepares an electrocution device to incapacitate Cruella, and her general obsessive, murderous personality makes her a genuinely unsettling villain throughout.
Tense sequences include the Baroness repeatedly hunting for Cruella and a warehouse fire where Cruella appears to die, plus a tense final terrace confrontation — all resolved with Cruella surviving and outmaneuvering the Baroness.

💕Romance

Moderate▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Crushes & Holding Hands

Kissing & Dating

Suggestive

Sexual Content

Cruella develops a light crush-level connection with Artie, the vintage clothing shop owner.
Wink kisses Cruella on the mouth in a brief gratitude moment.
Artie tells Cruella 'it's one of the things I love about you,' a mildly suggestive but non-explicit line.
There is no sexual content or nudity in the film.

🍺Substances

Mild▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Mentioned in Passing

Shown Casually

Featured Prominently

Glorified or Abused

The Baroness casually drinks alcohol at multiple events, toasting 'Here's to me.'
A brief mention of a 'Swiss bank account' comes up in the context of embezzlement, not substance use.
There is no drug use, smoking, or substance abuse depicted anywhere in the film.

⚡Stimulation

Extreme▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Gently Engaging

Exciting

Intense

Overwhelming

Montages of theft operations and fashion design work provide an exciting, upbeat pace throughout much of the film.
The Black and White Ball heist sequence is intense, featuring multiple coordinated actions happening simultaneously.
A fashion show riot in Regent's Park adds another intense, chaotic sequence.
The final gala confrontation is overwhelming, combining multiple plot reveals with action sequences back-to-back — may be a lot for sensory-sensitive children.

Parents also checked

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again

Shazam! Fury of the Gods

Cruella — Heads Up for Parents

Despite its playful fashion-heist tone, the film includes a surprisingly dark reveal that the Baroness ordered her own newborn baby killed at birth — a plot point parents may not expect from a Disney-branded film.

About Cruella

Cruella is a dark, stylish origin story following Estella, an orphaned fashion prodigy in 1970s London, as she transforms into the rebellious designer Cruella de Vil while battling the ruthless Baroness who runs London's fashion world. The film blends heist-movie energy, punk fashion spectacle, and a surprisingly dark family mystery involving murder and betrayal.

👨‍👧

Best watched together

Younger children (under 10) may be unsettled by Catherine's cliff death, the newborn-murder revelation, and the Baroness's menacing personality, so watching together allows parents to contextualize these darker themes alongside the film's fun fashion-heist energy.

Family Takeaways from Cruella

What it gets right

✓The film portrays a strong found-family dynamic, as seen when Horace and Jasper argue about loyalty and supporting each other despite their criminal lifestyle.
✓It shows a character embracing individuality and self-expression, as when Artie welcomes Cruella's uniqueness at his vintage shop.