Emma Stone has officially boarded an in-development sequel to Disney’s Cruella, reprising her role as the 101 Dalmatians villain.
The Academy Award-winning actress was recently confirmed to have made a deal to star in the sequel, despite rumours claiming that there has been friction between Stone and Disney.
Cruella, released both in cinemas and on-demand on Disney+ in May 2021, earned over $222 million from theatrical ticket sales worldwide. It is currently unknown whether the sequel will follow the dual-release path of its predecessor, or if it will only be assigned a theatrical release date.
The deal comes after an uncertain time for Disney, with fellow actress Scarlett Johannson having sued the company after her recent Marvel Cinematic Universe film, Black Widow, was released on Disney+ on the same day as its theatrical debut. In the lawsuit, Johansson alleged that the online release was a breach of her contract. Some speculated that Stone would follow Johansson’s example, given the similarities between both films’ releases, but these rumours have so far proven unfounded.
According to Deadline, the agreement between Stone and Disney will benefit both parties as the company continues to grapple with the challenges of releasing its main titles during the ongoing pandemic. “While the media landscape has been disrupted in a meaningful way for all distributors, their creative partners cannot be left on the sidelines to carry a disproportionate amount of the downside without the potential for upside,” said Patrick Whitesell, executive chairman at Stone’s agency Endeavor. “This agreement demonstrates that there can be an equitable path forward that protects artists and aligns studios’ interests with talent […] We are hopeful that this will open the door for more members of the creative community to participate in the success of new platforms.”
Disney has not released its on-demand earnings for Cruella, but the sequel plans and box office profits suggest that the figures are at least sufficiently promising. Craig Gillespie will also be returning to direct the sequel, alongside Tony McNamara (who co-wrote the screenplay alongside Dana Fox).
Cruella achieved widespread praise from critics, gaining a score of 75% on review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes. The film is currently available on Disney+ via Premier Access, and will be free for subscribers from 27 August onwards.
Words by Federica Battiato
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