Emma Stone, who stars as titular characer in the upcoming Disney film Cruella, finally addressed the film’s comparisons to Todd Phillips' Joker. The two blockbusters have been compared to one another because they had dark first trailers in which their titular characters explain their backstory over voice-over.
Similar to 2019’s Joker, Cruella is expected to offer a gritty origin story of an iconic villain. Joker started trending immediately on social media following the release of the Cruella trailer. Twitter users called the live-action prequel to 101 Dalmatians “Disney’s Joker." Comedian Matthew Highton even replaced the audio from the Cruella trailer with the Joker's dialogue. He stated that the mash-up fit perfectly and served as a prequel film about Joker’s mother.
Despite Joker dividing critics and being deemed problematic by some, the film was a massive hit. It became the highest-grossing R-rated film in history by making over $1 billion worldwide on a $55 million budget. It also received 11 Oscar nominations, with Phoenix taking home the Best Actor award.
Unlike Joker, Disney's Cruella received a PG-13 rating and will take place in 1970s London. The film centers on Estella, an aspiring fashion designer who enters a life of crime and mischief after she starts working for Baroness von Hellman (played by Emma Thompson). Estella soon embraces her wicked side and starts stealing Dalmatians. I, Tonya’s Craig Gillespie was tapped to direct, and Dana Fox (What Happens In Vegas) and Tony McNamara (The Favourite) penned the script. The supporting cast includes Joel Fry as Jasper Badun, Paul Walter Hauser as Horace Badun, and Mark Strong as John. Glenn Close notably played Cruella in the 1996 and 2002 live-action 101 Dalmatians films.
During a recent interview with Total Film, Stone said Cruella is different from Joker “in many ways.” She noted that while she wished she was more like Joaquin Phoenix, she would “never remotely compare” herself to him. Gillespie echoed the Oscar-winning actress’s sentiments by stating that the film is its own thing and will have a lot of humor in it. The director said the main similarity between Joker and Cruella is that they both explore the elements that made their titular characters embrace their villainous sides.
Cruella wrapped filming in 2019 and was originally slated to premiere last December. Due to the global pandemic, the theatrical release of the highly anticipated film was pushed. Disney recently announced that Cruella and Marvel’s Black Widow will drop simultaneously in theatres and on Disney Plus with Premier Access this summer.
Cruella is scheduled to be released in theatres and on Disney Plus on May 28.
Source: Total Film