Cruella 2 Cast, Director, Writer And More Details
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Released in 2021, Disney's live-action "Cruella" was a big hit. The movie earned acclaim from both critics and audiences, and $233 million worldwide. Of course, its success should come as no surprise: Emma Stone absolutely kills it as the titular villain, as anyone already familiar with her work would assume. And, unlike past portrayals of the conniving, devilish diva, "Cruella" serves as a prequel, focusing on the character's backstory and rise to infamy. In particular, the story fleshes out why she's so set on getting that Dalmatian fur.
Not surprisingly, the film's success brought shiny dollar signs into the eyes of Disney execs, and a "Cruella" sequel is in the works. This is certainly welcome news to audiences who enjoyed watching Stone gallivant around 1970s London in some seriously spectacular frocks. But what do we know so far about this upcoming sequel? Read on to find out, darling.
When will Cruella 2 be released?
"Cruella" hit theaters and Disney+ in May 2021. It didn't take very long for the top Disney brass to give the sequel the greenlight; The Hollywood Reporter announced "Cruella 2" in June 2021. But all this time later, we still don't have a firm release date. We do, however, have some information worth exploring.
In March 2022, the film's Oscar-nominated makeup artists Nadia Stacey and Julia Vernon talked to Variety (via ComicBook.com). Stacey revealed, "They're working on the script at the moment." Paul Walter Hauser — who played Horace in the first film — sat down with Forbes in July 2022 and revealed, "I'm told we're doing it next year." For a long time, that was the last update offered on the sequel. But in October 2023, director Craig Gillespie reaffirmed his interest in the project, telling The Times of India, "You know, we're really hoping that 'Cruella 2' will work out. And obviously, the strike has impacted that. And so we'll have to wait and see how everything lands once this is all over. But, you know, I'd love to be doing that."
Post-strike, the only news has come from Emma Stone herself. When asked by Variety when "Cruella 2" might start shooting, she responded, "You tell me. Hopefully sooner, rather than later." When the reporter pressed her on whether she's seen a script, she said there's "a work-in-progress kind of thing going on." This implies "Cruella 2" isn't quite as far along as fans might have hoped, which pushes a potential release date further into the future. However, Stone also reaffirmed her interest in the character, calling her "a blast."
What is the plot of Cruella 2?
The first "Cruella" serves as a prequel to the "101 Dalmatians" story that we all know and love. In fact, the first film ends with Cruella delivering Dalmatians Pongo and Perdita to Roger (Kayvan Novak) and Anita (Kirby Howell-Baptiste). It follows, then, that the next installment might revisit Cruella's infamous crimes.
However, when it all eventually goes down, we might jump forward by a few years. In March 2022, when Variety spoke to Nadia Stacey and Julia Vernon, Stacey said, "My only hope is, I know nothing, but my hope is we're moving into the '80s ... get your rollers out, lots of perms. We'd have such a new era to explore." Exploring a new decade of fashion with Cruella would indeed be quite exciting.
Who is starring in the Cruella sequel?
It would be impossible to imagine a "Cruella 2" without Emma Stone's memorable take on the iconic Disney character. Fortunately for fans everywhere, there's no need to worry about someone else filling Stone's fabulous shoes. In August 2021, Deadline reported that the Oscar-winning actress was officially coming back for part two. But who else can we expect to see in the sequel alongside Stone?
Well, in July 2022, Paul Walter Hauser gave an interview to Forbes where he said, "I'm told we're doing it next year," strongly implying he'll be returning to the role of Horace. And, in March 2022, director Craig Gillespie hinted another character might be coming back for "Cruella 2" when he was asked about Emma Thompson's Baroness (via ComicBook.com). "I can't answer this question," he responded, but then added, "It would be a shame if she wasn't in it, wouldn't it?"
Who is directing and writing Cruella 2?
When "Cruella 2" is finally released, it will be coming from the same creative team behind the success of the first film. So yes, that means Craig Gillespie is returning to direct after helming the original picture. In addition to "Cruella," Gillespie has had quite the career, directing a wide variety of films like the indie dramedy "Lars and the Real Girl," the horror movie remake "Fright Night," and the real-life thriller "The Finest Hours." Perhaps most notably, Gillespie was the filmmaker behind the equally tragic and comedic biopic "I, Tonya," which earned Allison Janney her Oscar for best supporting actress.
As for screenwriting duties, those will go to Tony McNamara, who penned the script for the 2021 movie. McNamara seems to specialize in tales of ambitious, complicated women rising to positions of power, as he also wrote the screenplay for Yorgos Lanthimos' "The Favourite" and created the Hulu series "The Great."
Where to watch the first Cruella
Cruella de Vil is one of Disney's most infamous and terrifying villains. Sure, she debuted in the book by Dodie Smith, but it was the 1961 animated film that cemented her as the personification of over-the-top evil. And thanks to both Glenn Close and Emma Stone's portrayals, the character has continued and cackled on for new generations — which is a long way of saying that the fashionista lives in style at the House of Mouse. So if you want to watch 2021's "Cruella" with Stone in the lead role, the easiest way to do that is to view the film on Disney+. If you'd rather rent the film elsewhere, you can find "Cruella" on streaming services like Amazon, Google Play, YouTube, and Apple iTunes for $3.99. You can also purchase the film on those streaming services for $19.99.