Cruella De Vil, Cruella De Vil. If she doesn't scare you, no evil thing will.
Unfortunately, with the new Cruella trailer, starring Emma Stone, we aren't entirely clear just how evil Cruella De Vil will remain. In the original iterations of 101 Dalmatians, Cruella is an absolutely evil, irredeemable character intent on turning puppies into coats.
There is an entire song which refers to Cruella as "this vampire bat, this inhuman beast," and saying that "to see her is to take a sudden chill."
However, with Disney's new trailer for Cruella, we don't know yet if, similar to Maleficent, the character will be given a tragic backstory that makes humanizes her.
And now, the film is drawing some criticism for having the potential to be Disney's Joker, referring to the film in which Joaquin Phoenix played the irredeemable DC Villain as a mentally ill man who is pushed past his limit.
I can't wait to see Disney's Joker. https://t.co/WaEkOZ7oK9— JakeWhyman (@JakeWhyman) 1613590208.0
I was not expecting #Cruella to be Disney's Joker. https://t.co/yetj6riDzV— Kirsten (@Kirsten) 1613580880.0
@AwestruckVox Why we getting Disney's Joker?— Jalen The Voice Actor🎙VA for hire#Bisexual/Proud! (@Jalen The Voice Actor🎙VA for hire#Bisexual/Proud!) 1613581242.0
“Walt Disney’s Joker” was not on my 2021 apocalypse bingo card, but here we are. Honestly, knowing this guy also di… https://t.co/PmYhDyaYOu— lucas graham (he/him) (@lucas graham (he/him)) 1613594269.0
"From the very beginning, I saw the world differently than everyone else," begins the trailer.
"The thing is, I was born brilliant. Born bad. And a little bit mad."
The anxiety over humanizing Cruella is mostly due to a few moments here and there that most definitely show a more broken version of Cruella--when her last name is literally De Vil, or "Devil."
If they let cruella just be evil for the hell of it without some tragic backstory, I’m down. If not...SHE SKINS PUP… https://t.co/GyhjMMA60W— Jade94 (@Jade94) 1613576572.0
All I see on my tl is “Disney’s Joker” I’m already going to mute it. If not I fear https://t.co/mMQ0AIJiAZ— Al*x*s (@Al*x*s) 1613593123.0
I hope it’s not Disney’s Joker because Joker was super overrated and a slightly above average movie that got overhy… https://t.co/c7QpQyUpZ8— Sean Moguel (@Sean Moguel) 1613597215.0
COMING THIS SUMMER... Disney’s Joker https://t.co/7Q9ePzJXDv— Connor Nugent (more like 2020-DONE) (@Connor Nugent (more like 2020-DONE)) 1613578697.0
I can't explain it but this is gonna be disney's Joker. https://t.co/UkZxKqdFbu— Damo (@Damo) 1613568620.0
Though there is no concrete evidence in the trailer that the film happens this way.
It could easily be a film about how dark and twisted Cruella actually is, which would be, to speak plainly, the most fun version of this film Disney could make.
i was always content with the understanding that cruella is the way she is because she’s rich and british— Brandy Jensen (@Brandy Jensen) 1613573552.0
cruella is gonna girlboss those dalmatians into a coat https://t.co/0en98ITZUM— alex (@alex) 1613488745.0
clearly the way to make Cruella the heroine is to pit her against a villain who wants to kill 202 Dalmatians— Dave Itzkoff (@Dave Itzkoff) 1613570151.0
Fanboys on the "Disney's Joker" trending topic be like... https://t.co/R5XL93s7eQ— Amber Goldsmith (she/her, they/them) (@Amber Goldsmith (she/her, they/them)) 1613576125.0
In retrospect, we should’ve seen “Disney Presents: Emma Stone as The Joker” coming https://t.co/fGeYk4EdIG— Caroline Darya Framke (@Caroline Darya Framke) 1613568207.0
Cruella is due for release May 28, 2021.
We shall see if we have a new Joker, or if we will once again be thrilled by the evil of the curl in her lips, and the ice in her stare.