Zoolander
| Company type | Film |
|---|---|
| Industry | Motion picture |
| Founded | September 28, 2001 |
| Founder | Ben Stiller |
| Products | Comedy film |
Zoolander is a 2001 American comedic motion picture directed, co-produced, co-written by, and starring Ben Stiller. This film serves as a parody of the fashion industry and centers on Derek Zoolander (played by Stiller), a male model who is coerced by fashion tycoon Jacobim Mugatu (Will Ferrell) into assassinating the Prime Minister of Malaysia. The Prime Minister's progressive fashion legislation poses a threat to Mugatu's enterprise. The ensemble cast also features Owen Wilson, Christine Taylor, Milla Jovovich, Jerry Stiller, and Jon Voight.
The movie draws inspiration from short films directed by Russell Bates and penned by Drake Sather along with Ben Stiller for the VH1 Fashion Awards specials in 1996 and 1997. It represents the last joint project between Paramount Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures.
Premiering on September 28, 2001, Zoolander garnered generally favorable critiques and achieved commercial success, earning $60.8 million against a production budget of $28 million. Its sequel, Zoolander 2, was released in February 2016, followed by an animated continuation titled Zoolander: Super Model, which debuted on Netflix UK in August 2016.
Plot
In New York City, male model Derek Zoolander experiences a downturn in his career; he is overtaken as the top model by the emerging Hansel McDonald, his roommates perish in an unusual gasoline-related accident, and his efforts to reconnect with his blue-collar family in South Jersey prove unsuccessful. Concurrently, fashion magnate Jacobim Mugatu and Derek’s agent Maury Ballstein are assigned the task of identifying a model susceptible to brainwashing for the purpose of assassinating the newly elected progressive-leaning Prime Minister of Malaysia, whose reforms jeopardize their exploitation of inexpensive child labor. Despite never having collaborated with Derek before, Mugatu selects him to headline a runway show linked to the brainwashing scheme, conditioning him to carry out the assassination when the track "Relax" is played.
Journalist Matilda Jeffries, feeling culpable for Derek’s career decline following a critical article in Time, grows wary of Mugatu’s proposition and attempts to alert Derek, who initially rejects her warnings. After receiving intelligence from former hand model J.P. Prewett, Matilda and Derek meet Prewett in a cemetery where he discloses the fashion world’s history of orchestrating political assassinations, including those of Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy. Models who have been brainwashed are eliminated once their missions are completed. When Mugatu’s henchmen attack, Derek and Matilda escape to Hansel’s residence, assuming Mugatu will not suspect this location. During this time, Derek, Hansel, and Matilda develop camaraderie as they reconcile differences while immersing themselves in Hansel’s lifestyle.
The trio attempts to infiltrate Maury’s office to uncover proof but cannot access his computer. At the runway event, Mugatu’s DJ plays a remix of "Relax," activating Derek’s brainwashing until Hansel intervenes by stopping the music. Hansel then destroys the computer; Maury confesses his involvement in the conspiracy. Mugatu tries to assassinate the Prime Minister himself using a shuriken but is thwarted by Derek’s ultimate modeling look called "Magnum." Observing proudly is Derek’s father Larry as Mugatu is apprehended. Several years later, Derek, Hansel, and Maury establish "The Derek Zoolander Center for Kids Who Can't Read Good and Who Wanna Learn to Do Other Stuff Good Too." Derek and Matilda have a son named Derek Zoolander Jr., who has unveiled his inaugural modeling look.
Cast
The supporting cast features Alexander Skarsgård, Alexandre Manning, Asio Highsmith, Andy Dick, and Andrew Wilson. Prominent cameo appearances include David Bowie portraying a "walk-off" judge and Billy Zane as a friend of Derek. Other celebrities making brief appearances are Lance Bass, Tyson Beckford, Victoria Beckham, Emma Bunton, Stephen Dorff, Fred Durst, Tom Ford, Cuba Gooding Jr., Heidi Klum, Lenny Kravitz, Karl Lagerfeld, Natalie Portman, Winona Ryder, Garry Shandling, Christian Slater, and Gwen Stefani. Additionally, notable business personalities such as Donald Trump and Melania Trump also appear.
Development
The character was initially conceived by Ben Stiller for a sketch performed at the 1996 VH1 Fashion Awards. The name "Derek Zoolander" was created during the editing process by Bates, inspired by two Calvin Klein models: Dutchman Mark Vanderloo and American Johnny Zander.
Casting
Owen Wilson was Stiller’s preferred choice for the role of Hansel; however, auditions were held due to scheduling uncertainties, with Jake Gyllenhaal among those who tried out. Andy Dick was originally cast as Mugatu but had to withdraw because of prior television commitments. Stiller intended to portray Derek’s agent Maury himself but ultimately cast his father, Jerry Stiller, in the role while he took on directing and starring duties.
David Bowie appeared as himself in the walk-off judge scene, filming his cameo in September 2000. He found the script "too funny to ignore," and his entrance included a freeze-frame accompanied by a segment of his track "Let's Dance," reflecting his playful embrace of his status as a style icon.
Filming
The film’s opening sequences were captured during commercial breaks at the 2000 VH1/Vogue Fashion Awards. Mugatu’s fictional fashion label "Derelicte" satirizes a 2000 collection by John Galliano that drew inspiration from homelessness and poverty, embodying an edgy design philosophy incorporating everyday street materials.
A memorable improvised scene occurs when David Duchovny’s character, J.P. Prewett, reacts spontaneously to Ben Stiller’s repeated inquiries about male models, highlighting on-set creativity. An initially scripted ending involving Derek’s fatal train accident was abandoned due to financial limitations.
Censorship
Zoolander faced a ban in Malaysia because it depicted an assassination attempt on the country’s prime minister, which the Malaysian censorship authority deemed "definitely unsuitable." Singapore also prohibited the film for containing "controversial elements" but later permitted its release in 2006 with an NC-16 rating. In the United States, the film's rating was adjusted from R to PG-13 after appeal, considering its sexual content, profanity, and drug references.
For distribution in Asian regions, mentions of Malaysia were replaced with Micronesia to avoid offending local audiences. Following the September 11 attacks, Ben Stiller mandated the digital removal of the World Trade Center towers from U.S. versions; these were reinstated in the 2016 Blu-ray release.
Accusations of plagiarism
The 1998 satirical novel Glamorama by Bret Easton Ellis features a male model entangled in a terrorist conspiracy recruiting within the fashion world. In 2005, Ellis recognized parallels between Zoolander and Glamorama and pursued legal action. He later referenced an out-of-court settlement that prevented further public discussion on the matter.
Box office
Zoolander debuted with an opening weekend gross of $15.5 million, securing the second spot behind Don't Say a Word. It accumulated $45.2 million domestically across the U.S. and Canada, and an additional $15.6 million internationally, culminating in a global total of $60.8 million against its $28 million production budget.
Critical response
On Rotten Tomatoes, Zoolander holds a 64% approval rating derived from 136 reviews, with an average score of 6 out of 10. The site's summary characterizes it as "a zany satire on the fashion world" that delivers authentic humor. According to Metacritic, the film earned a score of 61 out of 100 based on 31 critic assessments, reflecting "generally favorable reviews." Audience feedback collected by CinemaScore assigned it a "C+" grade.
Reviewers commended Zoolander for its lively parody of New York's fashion scene. BBC's Nev Pierce emphasized its incisive satirical elements, such as the spoofing of magazine covers and witty dialogue. Kirk Honeycutt from The Hollywood Reporter observed that the movie effectively blends absurdity with cleverness, though he noted some inconsistency in humor—alternating between predictable jokes and more inventive ones. Certain viewers found the initial comedic style, particularly Ferrell's exaggerated villain portrayal, somewhat difficult to embrace.
The depiction of child labor law issues drew criticism; Roger Ebert deemed this aspect tactless. Todd McCarthy of Variety acknowledged the ingenuity of the assassin storyline but believed it conflicted with the overall comedic tone.
McCarthy lauded the cast performances and numerous cameo appearances, describing Stiller's portrayal as "consistently entertaining" despite occasional overacting, while Wilson was credited with extracting considerable humor from his character's merciless yet vacant demeanor. Pierce attributed much of the film’s charm to the actors’ efforts and their ability to add credibility through cameos.
While praising the film’s production design, costume choices, and soundtrack selections, McCarthy criticized the absence of a confident visual approach for antagonists like Mugatu and found scenes dominated by dialogue to be poorly paced and edited. He also considered the removal of the Twin Towers both disruptive to the narrative flow and disrespectful to viewers' sensibilities.
Ebert suggested that Zoolander was hindered by unfortunate timing, having been released shortly after September 11, 2001; he found the presidential assassination subplot distasteful and awarded it one star out of four. However, he later privately apologized to Stiller for his initial harsh critique, admitting his opinion had evolved.
In the 2012 Sight and Sound poll recognizing the greatest films, two critics included Zoolander among their selections.
Analysis
Fashion writer Hadley Freeman observed that Zoolander distinguishes itself from typical fashion-centered films such as Designing Woman (1957), Funny Face (1957), and The Devil Wears Prada (2006). Whereas those movies tend to criticize superficial models, frivolous apparel, and shallow industry practices, Zoolander adopts a surreal narrative style—highlighted by its storyline involving male models hypnotized into assassinating a prime minister.
Soundtrack
The soundtrack for Zoolander was released on September 25, 2001, showcasing a wide array of artists and producers whose work complements the film’s edgy fashion aesthetic.
Notes
- The track "Start the Commotion" incorporates samples from "Wild Child" by The Ventures and "Set It Off" by Greg Nice.
- A Kruder & Dorfmeister remix of David Holmes’ "Gone" plays during a pivotal scene set at the day spa prior to brainwashing.
Sequel
In December 2008, Stiller announced intentions to create a Zoolander follow-up, with the screenplay finalized by January 2011. Production commenced at Rome's Cinecittà studios in early 2015. On March 10, both Stiller and Wilson appeared in character to promote the movie during Paris Fashion Week. Released on February 12, 2016, Zoolander 2 generally garnered unfavorable critiques when compared to the original film.
An animated spin-off titled Zoolander: Super Model debuted on Netflix UK in August 2016.
Legacy
Towards the end of 2022, Zoolander experienced a resurgence in popularity on TikTok, driven by viral videos featuring Stiller and Wilson, which revitalized public interest in the series.