The Hollywood Reporter has learned that Walt Disney Pictures is in the very early stages of developing a sequel to Cruella, which stars Academy Award-winner Emma Stone (The Amazing Spider-Man; Zombieland) in the title role as the Queen of Mean.
Both director Craig Gillespie, who alluded to a potential follow-up in a recent interview with CBM, and screenwriter Tony McNamara are set to return for the sequel alongside Stone.
Debuting simultaneously in theaters and on Disney+ Premier Access last weekend, the live-action origin story has garnered a (mostly) warm reception from critics and an overwhelmingly positive response from audiences, resulting in a current box office gross of over $48.5 million worldwide and a strong showing on Premier Access.
In a statement to THR, a Disney spokesperson said, “We are very pleased with Cruella’s box office success, in conjunction with its strong Disney+ Premier Access performance to date. 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.”