A sequel to the Emma Stone-starrer Cruella is reportedly already in development at Disney. The film had its debut in theaters and on Disney+ last week. It ranked number two at the box office after A Quiet Place: Part II but had a strong opening, with fans and critics praising the movie alike.
The studio seems to be satisfied with the outcome, and it comes as no surprise that a sequel has been initiated in the works.
In an exclusive report, The Hollywood Reporter has said that director Craig Gillespie and screenwriter Tony McNamara are expected to return for the second tranche.
A spokesperson for Disney released a statement calling attention to how well Cruella had fared for the studio and their excitement at moving forward with the character’s story. Read the full statement below:
“We are very pleased with Cruella’s box office success, in conjunction with its strong Disney+ Premier Access performance to date…The film has been incredibly well received by audiences around the world, with a 97% Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes in addition to A’s in every demographic from CinemaScore on opening weekend, ranking it among the most popular of our live-action reimaginings. We look forward to a long run as audiences continue to enjoy the fantastic film.”
In a recent interview with Rotten Tomatoes, actors Emma Stone and Emma Thompson have also expressed their interest in returning for a second run.
Similar to Disney’s other live-action remakes, the studio hopes to turn these projects into long-running franchises in tune with the Marvel Cinematic Universe or Star Wars.
Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland and Maleficent both got sequels in the form of 2016’s Alice Through the Looking Glass and 2019’s Maleficent: Mistress of Evil.
However, unlike their predecessors, they both underperformed at the box office and received mixed reviews from critics.
Disney is also pushing ahead and already has a sequel/prequel hybrid in the works for The Lion King, which will be directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Barry Jenkins. An Aladdin sequel is also currently in development.
Considering that Cruella’s ending sets up the story for the events of 101 Dalmatians, the movie creators could make a much more straightforward remake, since the character’s origin story has already been established.
Another possibility could see Cruella’s take on the events of the classic story.
The filmmakers could also keep in line with the sartorial theme of the movie and propel Cruella from the ’70s punk scene to ’80s London, which coincidentally saw the rise of royal fashion icon Princess Diana.
To be fair, there are numerous options available for Disney to explore, but no matter which one they might choose, hopefully, it will retain the flair and pomp of the original.
About Cruella
Cruella is a 2021 American crime comedy film based on the character Cruella de Vil, introduced in Dodie Smith’s 1956 novel The Hundred and One Dalmatians and Walt Disney’s 1961 animated film One Hundred and One Dalmatians.
The live-action adaptation stars Academy Award-winning actress Emma Stone as Cruella, with Emma Thompson, Joel Fry, Paul Walter Hauser, Emily Beecham, and Mark Strong in supporting roles. A sequel is in development at Disney.
Set amidst 1970s London during the punk rock revolution, Estella (Stone) moves to the bustling city with dreams of establishing herself as a fashion force. However, when she catches the eye of celebrated designer Baroness von Hellman, Estella unleashes her fiery inner persona to get ahead. With her thief friends by her side, Estella’s ambitions will take a sinister turn when she gets obsessed with Dalmatian furs and becomes the antagonistic villain of the original Disney movie.
In August 2021, it has been confirmed that Emma Stone will be returning for a sequel with Craig Gillespie and Tony McNamara, the first film’s director and writer respectively. No other cast, release date or plot details have been revealed.
Source: Hollywoodreporter
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