Emma Stone has signed a pact to return for more dramatic clothes and heinous crimes in the forthcoming “Cruella 2.”
The sequel’s production was announced in early June, only weeks after the live-action prequel to the Disney animated classic “101 Dalmations” hit theatres. At the time, “Cruella” director Craig Gillespie and screenwriter Tony McNamara were slated to return for the new film, but Stone’s contract had not yet been finalised.
Patrick Whitesell said, “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. This agreement demonstrates that there can be an equitable path forward that protects artists and aligns studios’ interests with talent,” Whitesell continued. “We are proud to work alongside Emma and Disney, and appreciate the studio’s willingness to recognize her contributions as a creative partner. We are hopeful that this will open the door for more members of the creative community to participate in the success of new platforms.”
Stone starred in and corporately produced the picture, which was the third live-action adaptation of the property, following two performances by Glenn Close as the Disney villain, and was co-written by Emma Thompson, Joel Fry, Paul Walter Hauser, Emily Beecham, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, and Mark Strong. The film has grossed more than $85 million in the United States and more than $220 million worldwide. When it was released, “Cruella” was also made accessible on Disney Plus for an extra $30 via the streaming service’s Premier Access option.
When the company embraced the hybrid strategy after the pandemic forced calendar alterations for the 2021-2022 slate, “Cruella” and “Black Widow” became the first of Disney’s major releases to debut day and date theatrically and on Disney Plus. Since then, the hybrid model has seen the release of “Jungle Cruise,” starring Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt.