Who would have thought that audience would get to see the origin story of 101 Dalmatians villain, Cruella de Vil? But after a dry spell in cinemas due to the pandemic, Disney has given us an opportunity to enjoy the life of this notoriously fashionable villain in 2021 with the release of Cruella’s first trailer.
The film, set for release on May 28, tells the origin story of Cruella de Vil, the antagonist popularized by Glenn Close’s portrayal in the 1996 movie 101 Dalmatians and its sequel.
In the 90-second trailer, Oscar-winning actress Emma Stone is seen playing the titular character while she spirals into a revenge-driven madness in her youth. Her enigmatic look is chic with bold costumes and statement hairstyles with black, white and red hair. This brief introduction to her character is impactful, so much so that many have already started comparing it to Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker. To certain extent, it even reminded us of Harley Quinn, mainly due to black, white and red themes and makeup. (DC Comics).
With hitting dialogues like “I am woman… here to roar” and “The thing is, I was born brilliant, born bad and a little bit mad” followed by Stone’s Cruella laugh, the anticipation has built for the movie.
According to Disney’s official description of the film: “Cruella, which is set in 1970s London amidst the punk rock revolution, follows a young grifter named Estella, a clever and creative girl determined to make a name for herself with her designs. One day, Estella’s flair for fashion catches the eye of the Baroness von Hellman, a fashion legend who is devastatingly chic and terrifyingly haute, played by two-time Oscar winner Emma Thompson. But their relationship sets in motion a course of events and revelations that will cause Estella to embrace her wicked side and become the raucous, fashionable and revenge-bent Cruella.”
Upon the trailer’s release, there were many memes and jokes made on Twitter.
emma stone’s cruella out here proving you either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain pic.twitter.com/gxwl7lQHD1
— emma lord (@dilemmalord) February 16, 2021
Feb. 2020 vs Feb. 2021 pic.twitter.com/w1xFnKFEoI
— Fandom (@getFANDOM) February 17, 2021
I dunno this looks pretty sick? A nice predictable Joker-template in old high society. Also I love that she drives the same way with her shoulders up. https://t.co/uHeEQdoS0N
— Gene Park (@GenePark) February 17, 2021
🔴 Best Joker.
⚪️ DCEU Joker.
🔴 New Joker.
⚪️ Disney’s Joker. pic.twitter.com/IoZdpiLDsA— Mucc (@TheLonelyMucc) February 17, 2021
So Joker & Harley Quinn did have a child together#Cruella pic.twitter.com/QtUN9BuSwa
— Movies That Maher w The Viking (@MoviesThatMaher) February 17, 2021
Slap a DC logo on this & I’d honestly think this was a Batman Villian origin.#Cruella https://t.co/5McPpzlTrQ
— Movies That Maher w The Viking (@MoviesThatMaher) February 17, 2021
Emma Stone to her agent after accepting the role to play #Cruella pic.twitter.com/MeIoZ0uYRl
— Film Daze (@filmdaze) February 17, 2021
However, some fans had serious concerns
I swear to god you pull a Maleficent and try to make this character, a character whose MAIN TRAIT is wanting to kill and skin puppies, into a “sympathetic villain”, I’m gonna be so mad. This has the opportunity to be a fun villainy crime film. Don’t ruin it. https://t.co/LEuJbwZeqe
— Pixie, Queen of Monsters (@QueenKaijuPixel) February 17, 2021
I cannot express how little we need a prequel story for a woman whose entire deal “just wants coats made of puppies” https://t.co/7rH2CwXHIx
— Christina Grace (@C_GraceT) February 16, 2021
