Disney’s live-action remake/classic villain origin story, Cruella, spurs hot takes were aplenty. Those who favor it cite the magnetism of Emma Stone and the film’s clear emphasis on fashion as major factors for their positive reactions. Those who balk question the need for a backstory on one of Disney’s most heinous creations.
However, one clever Twitter user, @Watcher0033, noted an important take on the Cruella de Vil character: What if she faced off against John Wick (Keanu Reeves), from the John Wick films? This could be the basis of a major cinematic rivalry and both have solid arguments for victory.
John Wick: Potentially Immortal
Frequently throughout the John Wick trilogy, the titular hero is referred to as a “boogeyman” type figure. Essentially, the characters who come in contact and combat with him believe that he just cannot be killed.
It would certainly explain how he can withstand some of the most brutal injuries. It also means that Cruella might struggle to defeat him, especially if there’s no way of doing so.
Cruella: The Youth Advantage
While it’s not unheard of for Disney villains to inflict violence and murder attempts on heroes, there is definitely a reduction in how graphic those attacks can be. (At least, that’s true for how fans see them on screen.)
This might mean a showdown between the two might be impacted by every variable. If this fight featured the Emma Stone version of the character, she’d have a clear youth advantage. The original Cruella may be older, but Stone is a quarter-century younger than Reeves, giving her a clear energy boost.
John Wick: Took Down Boban
While Cruella de Vil has done excellent work to become an iconic Disney antagonist, she doesn’t have any notch in the victory column as impressive as even Wick’s fourteenth best fight.
There is seemingly no limit to who Wick can top, especially by the third movie when the world seems to descend upon him. Most notably, though, Wick took down one of the NBA’s biggest enforcers, Boban Marjanovic, all by himself. Cruella would be nothing more than a pesky mosquito to him.
Cruella: Unpredictable Energy
One advantage Cruella would have over John Wick, though, is that she is wickedly unpredictable. Wick is a well-trained assassin, which means a lot of his moves are privy to those who come in contact with him.
Cruella, on the other hand, is known to make surprising strikes. There’d be no way to predict what move she would make next because she’s a loose cannon. Just ask the second season of Fargo: sometimes, chaos trumps well-planned and coordinated attacks.
John Wick: Experience
While his training might be a detriment in the face of Cruella’s wild demeanor, there’s still a lot to be said for the experience Wick has accumulated over the years. He might be slower, but he has over two decades of wisdom on Stone’s Cruella.
So while he may not be able to anticipate Cruella’s actions, he’s one of the world’s best candidates for reacting to them appropriately. He wouldn’t be so easily flustered by her.
Cruella: Ambition
On top of this, John Wick is a simple man of simple desires. He really does not intend on fighting any more than he absolutely has to. Cruella, on the other hand, is highly ambitious and thinks about the bigger picture much more than Wick does.
This ambition could lead her to “lose a battle” in favor of “winning the war.” It also means that the conquering of foes is something she’s held in mind for many more years than Wick, who was pulled into a syndicate only recently.
John Wick: One-Man Force
While Cruella may be a capable Disney villain, she still leaves much of the grunt work to her henchmen, Horace and Jasper. This means if she ever came face-to-face with Wick, she might not be prepared to physically fight him herself.
Wick, on the other hand, largely operates as a one-man force in the world. When there’s dirty work to be done, he’s the one doing it, rather than some nondescript lackey. Wick has a clear advantage here.
Cruella: Manipulation Over Altercation
While Cruella might struggle to hold her own in a physical altercation with John Wick, she does have the ability to be a manipulator. She might just be clever enough to devise a plan for Wick to defeat himself.
After all, think about Captain America: Civil War. Baron Zemo is one of Marvel’s most average villains; he’s just a regular human with no powers. Yet, he’s also one of the only Marvel villains to win. Manipulation can count for a lot when compared to brute force.
John Wick: Fighting For Dogs
Lastly, it would be a mistake to let a discussion on a potential conflict between Cruella de Vil and John Wick go by without remarking on what they most have in common: an obsession with dogs.
An advantage for John Wick is that he would fight with a cause motivating him. He has a noble thing to fight for: the lives of dogs and the need to avenge his own dog. Against, Cruella, he’d be fighting for one hundred and one more canines.
Cruella: Heartless About Dogs
In terms of a relationship with puppies, Cruella may not have a noble cause in a fight centered around them. Instead, her advantage would come in the fact that she is absolutely heartless when considering dogs and dalmatians, specifically.
It’s not a good thing to be heartless, but for Cruella, it would help her in her fight because she would not care about harming a single living thing besides herself. Whether or not that would wind up being her hamartia would have to be left to a potential Cruella v. Wick film.
