The dalmatian business is thriving, as Disney is already in early development on a sequel to its new critically acclaimed crime comedy, Cruella. Emma Stone, who plays the title villainess in the live action adaptation of the popular animated movie, One Hundred and One Dalmatians, is set to reprise her role in the upcoming second installment, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The Academy Award-winning actress is expected to return to the hit franchise with Cruella‘s director, Craig Gillespie. The duo will also reportedly be joined by returning series screenwriter, Oscar-winner Tony McNamara.
The news of Cruella‘s planned follow-up comes as the film heads into its second weekend in theaters and on Disney+’s Premier Access tier. In its first week of release, since opening last Friday, May 28, the crime comedy has earned a worldwide gross of $48.5 million, as well as praise for Stone’s performance, the costume design and the soundtrack.
Disney has released a statement about its happiness over the movie’s success. “The film has been incredibly well received by audiences around the world, with a 97% Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes, in addition to A’s in every demographic from CinemaScore on opening weekend, ranking it among the most popular of our live-action reimaginings. We look forward to a long run as audiences continue to enjoy this fantastic film.”
Cruella is the latest successful live-action adaptation of one of Disney’s beloved animated films. The adaptations began starting with Alice in Wonderland (2010), and went on to include Maleficent (2014), Cinderella (2015), Beauty and the Beast (2017), Dumbo, Aladdin and The Lion King (all 2019). The studio has also found some success with several sequels to its live-action adaptations, including Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016) and Maleficent: Mistress of Evil(2019).