It was rumored that we hadn’t seen the last of Emma Stone’s Cruella and now we know that the actress will return for a follow-up.
It was previously reported that Disney was in early development on a sequel with director Craig Gillespie and screenwriter Tony McNamara returning. Now Deadline brings word that Stone will reprise her role as the titular character. The deal comes at an interesting time after Scarlett Johansson sued the company alleging a contract breach due to Black Widow releasing in both theaters and on Disney+.
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Like the MCU film, Cruella was released in both theaters on as a premium add-on to Disney+, but it’s unsure if the sequel will be distributed via both avenues. It has earned over $222 million worldwide. Deadline says that Stone’s deal “mutually benefits both sides especially at a time when Disney is still assessing the dynamic window model on its event titles.”
“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 Endeavor Executive Chairman Patrick Whitesell, who represents Stone, told Deadline. “This agreement demonstrates that there can be an equitable path forward that protects artists and aligns studios’ interests with talent. 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.”
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No plot details are known just yet about the Cruella sequel.