Although the world may have beenwaiting for one specific Joker-centered moviethis year, the real feature-length winner that was maybe sorta kinda based on the DC villain wasVera Drew’sThe People’s Joker. Funny, off-beat, imaginative, and vibrant, Drew’s star-studded parody feature was overflowing with a heartfelt story about its main character, Joker (Drew), coming to terms with being a trans woman and trying to make it in the big, dangerous, scary world of comedy. While the movie may not have gotten the full screening schedule that it was hoping for (thanksa lotcopyright laws!), the title still made enough waves with the right people to receive a nomination for the John Cassavetes Award at the Independent Spirit Award ceremony.
Collider’sAidan Kelleywas our boots on the ground during the red carpet proceedings and had a chance to talk with Drew on her way into the event. Giving themulti-hyphenate creativethe option of any IP under the sun, Kelley asked Drew if copyright infringements were of no worry, what character she would like to parody next. Giving a fully thought-out answer, Drew confidently responded:
“Hellraiser. One of my favorite cenobites is Butterball, and I would love to make a movie that’s just aboutButterball going to a theme park one day. He’s the best cenobite. Look him up. He’s adorable, really.”
Butterball’s Big Day Out
Right off the bat, we are into this idea. Who do we contact about financing a Butterball-centered project? For those who may not know, Butterball (played bySimon Bamford) is one of the hellish goons in Pinhead’s (Doug Bradley) leather-wearing, torturer-loving, sadistic gang whom audiences first met inClive Barker’s iconic and boundary-pushing 1987 feature,Hellraiser. Butterball is a robust dude who looks a bit like Monstro Elisasue, the final version ofMargaret QualleyandDemi Moore’s characters inThe Substance, although Drew thinks he looks like another famous figure, telling Kelley, “Kind of looks likeMarlon Brandoa little bit. Late in life Marlon Brando. [Laughs]”
Along with watching Butterball standing in line with the rest of us normies for the wildest roller coaster or stepping up to the concession stand for an overpriced soda and fries, Drew can also see the maniacal cenobite tapping into his softer side, adding:
“I’d love to make a movie whereButterball just has a bunch of corgis, and he’s trying to wrangle all these corgis. There’s no torture or anything in it. It’s just a big leather cenobite wrangling corgis.”
Again. Yes, please. How do we get this movie made? While we wait for someone to give Drew the rights toHellraiser, you may rentThe People’s Jokeron Prime Video or wherever you find your movies.
