Craig Gillespie, director of the Oscar-winningI, Tonya, is in negotiations to directCruellafor Disney. The Mouse House has been developing quite a few live-action movies based on their animated classics in recent years and, in this case, they intend to focus on the villainous Cruella de Vil, who we were first introduced to in101 Dalmatiansback in 1961. This time around, they’ve tapped Emma Stone to star in the origin story, which has been in development for several years. But the project may have new life.
According to a new report,Craig Gillespieis in early negotiations to helmCruellaforDisney. He hasn’t signed on the dotted line just yet, but this feels like a very good fit. Gillespie not only helmed a recent critical darling inI, Tonya, the Tonya Harding biopic that earned Margot Robbie a Best Actress Oscar nomination and Allison Janney a Best Supporting Actress win. He’s also worked with Disney in the past, having directed real-life rescue mission dramaThe Finest Hoursand the real-life baseball dramaMillion Dollar Arm. Pairing him with a bankable, Oscar-winning actress who can sing, dance and act in Emma Stone seems like a solid coupling.
Previously,Mozart in the Junglecreator Alex Timbers had been attached to directCruella. However, his work on Broadway, which consists ofBeetlejuiceandMoulin Rougenext year, got in the way of him being able to fit this in. So, Disney began searching for a new director and Craig Gillespie wound up becoming their man. As for what to expect? The origin story is said to be taking place in the 1980s and will have a “punk” vibe to it. What that means exactly remains to be seen, but Emma Stone as a fashionable punk villain seems like it would produce a great poster, if nothing else.
101 Dalmatianswas a big hit for Disney in 1961 that was later brought to live-action in 1996, with Glenn Close starring asCruella de Vil. Close would go on to reprise the role in the sequel,102 Dalmatians, in 2000. The first live-action movie was quite successful, bringing in $320.6 million worldwide. The sequel was less successful, bringing in $183 million. But more importantly, the story has already been told in that way. Hence, why we’re getting an origin story about the villain, as opposed to a modern live-action retelling of the animated classic, which Disney did withBeauty and the Beastlast year to great success.
There’s no word on whenCruellacould begin production.Emma Stoneis gearing up to shootZombieland 2in January. For the time being, it doesn’t seem like Craig Gillespie has any major projects that would get in the way of him making this a priority, should he sign on the dotted line. Next year, Disney hasthree live-action remakeson the way, with Tim Burton’sDumboarriving in March, Guy Ritchie’sAladdinset to follow in May and Jon Favreau’sThe Lion Kingcapping things off in July.Cruelladoes not currently have a release date. This news was previously reported byThe Hollywood Reporter.
