The saying ‘you can’t keep a bad girl down’ looks to be true, as Disney’s latest villainess origin story already has a sequel in early development. Cruella – the live-action prequel to the animated classic 101 Dalmatians (1961) – only recently released in theatres and via Disney Plus’s streaming service; however, with its current box office success, Disney seems keen to keep the spot obsessed and fur loving villain’s momentum going.
The Emma Stone led movie is currently in its second week of release, and the sudden news of a part 2 to its story comes as an unexpected, but not shocking, surprise. According to Disney, the film has already earned $48.5 million worldwide and is performing strongly on its streaming service as well. Its box office success, paired with the widely positive response from critics, has made a sequel a no-brainer and, even with the short turnaround, a new Cruella movie will probably be one of Disney’s safest and most profitable modern investments.
However, it isn’t all sunshine and black and white roses. The sudden news of the upcoming sequel has caused a wave of fan speculation regarding the film’s story, and the future direction of Emma Stone’s Cruella.
For those who haven’t seen the movie, its open ending, although pointing towards another instalment, did not indicate where any future plot may be heading or how Cruella turns into the classic evil, puppy hating figure we all know her to be. Both director Craig Gillespie and screenwriter Tony McNamara are expected to return to work on the sequel, suggesting that there may have been an overarching story planned out even before the first film. However, nothing has been confirmed yet, and further details regarding the production have been sparse.
Despite a few misgivings, it seems villain stories are becoming the new obsession in Hollywood and have upped the quality of Disney’s Live actions. A Disney representative told the Hollywood reporter, “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.”
If you’re looking for more critically acclaimed Disney stories or just fancy some animated picks instead, check out our list of the best Disney movies of all time.