2 Cruella 2 Cruel! Emma Stone officially back as Cruella de Vil in Disney live-action sequel

The popularity of Disney’s live-action movie focusing on the dog-fur coveting Cruella de Vil spawned rumors of a potential sequel months ago. Today, however, we have confirmation that Emma Stone will be back for Cruella 2.

A sequel would likely have been dead in the water without Stone returning to the titular role. So fans of the new rags-to-riches fashionista take on the classic baddie can rest easy, as Deadline is reporting that Stone has closed a deal with Disney for a second film.

Stone isn’t the only part of the creative team diving into the sequel. The first film's director and writer — Craig Gillespie and Tony McNamara, respectively — are also back for the new project.

Disney is also viewing the deal with Stone as a sign that the company’s hybrid release of films in theaters and on Disney+ Premier Access can work. According to Deadline, the deal struck between Stone and Disney is beneficial to both sides no matter whether the film is released solely in theaters or simultaneously in theaters and on the streaming platform, where Disney+ subscribers would pay an additional $29.99 to watch the movie. 

“While the media landscape has been disrupted in a meaningful way for all distributors, their creative partners cannot be left on the sidelines to carry a disproportionate amount of the downside without the potential for upside,” Endeavor Executive Chairman Patrick Whitesell told Deadline about the deal for his client, Stone. “This agreement demonstrates that there can be an equitable path forward that protects artists and aligns studios’ interests with talent. We are proud to work alongside Emma and Disney, and appreciate the studio’s willingness to recognize her contributions as a creative partner. We are hopeful that this will open the door for more members of the creative community to participate in the success of new platforms.”

While the contracts have been signed, there’s no news yet on when Cruella 2 (Two-ella? 2 Cruella 2 Cruel?) will go into production, much less make it to the screen.

In the meantime, anyone with Disney+ can catch Cruella on the streaming platform starting Aug. 27, 2021.