Following the release of the first Cruella trailer, many fans have likened its rebellious attitude to the Harley Quinn movie, Birds of Prey. They see Emma Stone's depiction of Cruella de Vil as somewhat similar to Margot Robbie's Harley -- breaking free from the shackles, expectations and oppression of women in society to create someone who basks in chaos and freedom.
However, upon further inspection, Cruella might not be Harley at all. Instead, she could be Disney's take on the Joker.
When you compare the first trailer for Todd Phillips' Joker to Cruella's, you can see why it's an apt link. The look and feel are almost the same. Firstly, they've both got a dark, period aesthetic to them -- Cruella takes place in the '70s and Joker in the early '80s. Apart from the moody cinematography, even the way the trailers are cut feels similar. Joker had Joaquin Phoenix's Arthur Fleck, in voiceover, talking about how society mistreats people. Stone's Cruella does the same, mentioning how sometimes it's good to be bad, especially after one's brilliance isn't fully appreciated by the powers-that-be.
At this point, the essences of both properties stand out already: they're about anti-establishment. Cruella's dealing with Emma Thompson's Baroness Von Hellmann, the head of a prestigious fashion house who hires her (Estella) and who'll clearly break and turn her into Cruella. We even see her arriving at a gala and showing off her new look, basking in how it freaks people out as she moves from a redhead to her signature black and white hairstyle.
It's reminiscent of Arthur transforming into Joker, bitter at how his comedy ruined him and wanting to show up predatory talk show hosts like Murray Franklin. Clearly, both of these villains-in-the-making become burned by their careers and look for revenge, as well as popularity and validation. In Joker's case, he also had the wealthy Thomas Wayne set in his sights, painting him as a rebel wanting to dismantle society, starting with the elites at the top. Cruella could easily be characterized in a similar way considering the industry she's in.
In addition, we also spot the future objects of Cruella's hate, the dalmatians, which throwback to Arthur toying with young Bruce Wayne in Joker. All of this creates tension and suspense. We can tell everything isn't okay with these two individuals -- they're both unstable and as their backstories unfold, the only outcome is all hell breaking loose.
What's also apparent is Cruella wants to humanize and have us sympathize with the villain, maybe even making her more of an antihero, a symbol reflecting the vanity and ego of the world she's in. Arthur/Joker was the same -- a forgotten son who reminded us how the poor have been treated by narcissists. In that sense, both films deliver (or have the capacity to deliver) relatable stories that reflect the worst aspects of modern life.
The music choices are also key to this parallel. As all these scenes play out, and we get glimpses into their journeys, the Cruella trailer is overlayed with "Who's Sorry Now," while Joker's uses "Smile." Clearly, these movies want us to remember there's always someone on the edge of breaking point. All it takes is one bad day for them to reach it. Crucially, that's what separates Cruella from Harley Quinn and makes her more of an 'all-ages' Joker -- she's no one's prop, crutch or slave in her origin story; she's a leader who calls the shots and like the Clown Prince of Crime. And anarchy seems to be the only way she thinks the world can be course-corrected.
Directed by Craig Gillespie, Cruella stars Emma Stone, Emma Thompson, Paul Walter Hauser, Joel Fry and Emily Beecham. It is scheduled to be released in theaters on May 28.
Joker stars Joaquin Phoenix, Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Bill Camp, Frances Conroy, Brett Cullen, Glenn Fleshler, Douglas Hodge, Marc Maron, Josh Pais and Shea Whigham. The film is available now on Digital HD, Blu-ray, 4K UHD, DVD and HBO Max.