We Finally Have Footage of Camila Cabello as Cinderella!

It's been over a year since the announcement that Camila Cabello would be starring in a new film adaptation of "Cinderella." After numerous delays, I am pleased to announce that the movie has finally released its first teaser six months after its original anticipated release date. Like so many adaptations that came before it, the movie is simply titled Cinderella and is set to release on Amazon Prime on September 3rd of this year. This 30-second teaser gives us a taste of Camila's version of Ella in the corset dress that was revealed in Entertainment Weekly's first look. Though there isn't enough time to reveal all the characters in such a short teaser, it also contains footage of Billy Porter as the first gender-neutral Fairy Godmother, and he very much looks the part. Other changes to the story are hinted at in the teaser as well, which you can watch below.

The most notable change in this version of "Cinderella" is that Ella seems to have a job outside of slaving for her stepfamily, or at the very least a career ambition. We see her using an old-fashioned version of a sewing machine surrounded by numerous design sketches that give serious Cruella vibes with a voiceover about her dream to become a world-renowned designer. This new twist on the familiar tale is followed by a brief clip of Camila singing her heart out over beautifully choreographed footage of the classic ballroom scene. I love the idea of Cinderella wanting to be a designer because it goes so well with the story of transforming her rags into a beautiful ballgown and gives her a believable ambition to get away from her wicked family other than marry the prince. My biggest question is why she would need the fairy godmother to give her a magical dress when she seems perfectly capable of creating her own, but I'm sure that will be answered in the film.

The final clip in the teaser is a bit jarring for two reasons. First, it interrupts the beautiful taste that we get of the movie's musical numbers, and second, Camila's line feels out of place and makes me worry about what kind of tone the movie will have. Up to the 22-second mark, the film seems to take itself pretty seriously. Ella's genuine passion to achieve her dream shines through in her voiceover, and the efforts of the filmmakers to create an authentic-looking royal ball radiate through the costumes and sets of the royal palace. The spell gets broken when the Fairy Godmother abruptly asks "Do you want to go to that ball?" and Ella responds "Yes, I was crying and singing about it, like, two minutes ago." It looks like she isn't sure if it's supposed to be delivered seriously or satirically. Her casual diction feels even more out of place than the gender-neutral Fairy Godmother, who can appear however s/he wants since they are a magical being.

The sharp break in tone at the end of the teaser makes me uncertain whether I'm excited or worried about this movie, but it's probably a combination of both. I've always loved Camila Cabello's voice and her cute and innocent demeanor, and she looks wonderful in the role of Cinderella. The new musical number gives me hope that the film will contain some original songs even though it was already confirmed to have several covers, including Beyoncé's "Single Ladies." However, the tongue-in-cheek comment about "singing about it like two minutes ago" makes the movie feel more like a princess parody than a genuine retelling. I'm all for a few light-hearted moments to keep things in perspective, but it needs to take itself at least a little seriously if it expects its audience to. I think Mirror Mirror is a good example of a princess movie that took itself just seriously enough to get away with some questionable jokes that occasionally break the fourth wall. If this movie can match that style, I think it will turn out decent enough.

September 3rd isn't the only date you'll need to mark on your calendar for your princess streaming needs. Disney just announced the release date for their Ultimate Princess Celebration special that will air on Disney Channel and Disney+. The special was teased for this August when they launched the celebration, but it has now been confirmed that Disney Princess Remixed - An Ultimate Princess Celebration will air on August 27th. It will feature remixes of classic Disney Princess songs from the teen stars of High School Musical: The Musical - The Series and the premiere of the official music video for the new Disney Princess anthem, "Starting Now" by Brandy. So get ready for a princess-filled summer! Disney Princess Remixed will be the perfect prelude to get us pumped up for Sony's Cinderella on Amazon Prime the following week. Are you excited for the new Cinderella? Let me known below!