BATTLE OF THE BITCHES—CHARLIZE THERON AND JULIA ROBERTS FACE OFF AS EVIL QUEENS

Yes, there are two movies involving evil queens on the movie horizon this spring, based on Snow White – the classic fairytale that’s inspired so many versions (who can count?) In the upcoming Snow White and the Huntsman (SWATH), Charlize Theron gets downright dirty and nasty as the evil queen but in Mirror Mirror, Julia ditches her American Sweetheart title to show that she’s not only the fairest, but also the meanest girl in town. The only question that remains is, “Who is the bitchiest one of all?”

Neither of these Oscar-winning actresses has really played evil roles in their careers so it will be interesting to see who will take the title of reigning villain. Here’s a brief breakdown of their respective characters and what to expect.

Mirror Mirror (March 30)

Julia Roberts’ evil queen is stunning in this version, which takes a lighter, more comedic approach than the darker version set in SWATH. As a queen of comedy, this role is perfect for Roberts, and just because this version may have you snickering in your seat doesn’t mean it will deflect from Roberts’ ability to play a mean-hearted bitch.

In Mirror Mirror the queen banishes Snow White (Lily Collins) from the kingdom when she learns from her magic mirror that she is not the fairest in the land. While banished, Snow White finds seven courageous rebel dwarfs who join forces with her to help her reclaim her birthright and win back her Prince (Armie Hammer).

Roberts’ take on the evil queen is very different from the one we’ll see in SWATH, but still promises to be a clever re-take on the character. This live-action version is colourful and breathtaking and is directed by Tarsem Singh – known for his rich, unique visual style. And, although it’s much more light-hearted than SWATH is expected to be, it won’t undermine Roberts’ green-with-envy, mean performance, which Lily Collins clearly confirmed to the Telegraph.

“She uses her classic America’s sweetheart smile in a high-school manner. You know, like when someone says, “Your top is so pretty,” and they’re smiling but really they mean they hate it. I am the victim of her evil wrath. She yells at me,” Collins said. “In one scene my dress got caught in my shoe and she pulled some of my hair out. That’s the take they used. It really hurt!”

Cast: Julia Roberts, Lily Collins, Armie Hammer, Sean Bean, Nathan Lane, Mare Winningham, Robert Emms, Martin Klebba, Danny Woodburn, Mark Povinelli, Joe Gnoffo, Jordan Prentice.

Snow White and the Huntsman (June 1)

Theron gives her queen a gorgeous icy appeal in a story that is much darker than the classic fairytale. In this re-telling, Theron’s queen is dark and demented as she sucks the souls of women in order to keep her beauty. But when she asks her Magic Mirror the classic question, “Who is fairest of them all?” she doesn’t get the answer she’s looking for when it responds: “You are the fairest but there is another destined to surpass you. Consume her heart and you shall live forever.”

With that knowledge, the queen enlists the help of a huntsman (Chris Hemsworth), whom she sends on a mission to find this Snow White (Kristen Stewart) and kill her. But things don’t go quite as planned as he ends up training Snow White in the arts of war.

Theron’s icy look coupled with her beauty is what will put this performance over the top, only matched by one thing: the special effects. From the trailer we see that SWATH promises to be visually breathtaking, adding to it’s dark eerie nature. This is also the work of Joe Roth, the producer of Alice in Wonderland and producer Sam Mercer (The Sixth Sense) and acclaimed commercial director and state-of-the-art visualist Rupert Sanders, who, along with Theron, will give this version a more evil edge over Mirror Mirror.

Cast: Charlize Theron, Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth, Ray Winstone, Toby Jones, Ian McShane, Nick Frost, Sam Claflin, Bob Hoskins, Lily Cole, Eddie Marsan.

—By Toni-Marie Ippolito

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