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Emma Stone is coming back to play Cruella once again in Disney’s forthcoming sequel, Deadline reports. The site said Stone’s signing with Disney is good news for the movie giant as it faces some amount of criticism over its decision to launch movies both in theaters and on Disney+. Scarlett Johansson is currently suing Disney over this.
Cruella launched in May in theaters where it made $222 million globally; it was also available on Disney+ with Premier Access, but it’s unclear how well it did there. According to Deadline, Disney hasn’t decided on a release strategy for Cruella 2 as of yet.
Patrick Whitesell, the executive chairman of Stone’s talent agency Endeavor, said clients like Stone and other creative partners “cannot be left on the sidelines to carry a disproportionate amount of the downside without the potential for upside.”
“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,” Whitesell said. “We are hopeful that this will open the door for more members of the creative community to participate in the success of new platforms.”
It was previously announced that Cruella director Craig Gillespie and write Tony McNamara will return for the sequel. There is no word yet on any specifics about Cruella 2 like its cast, plot, or release date.
Regarding Johnasson’s lawsuit, the Black Widow actress is alleging that Disney releasing Black Widow on Disney+ at the same time it did so theatrically was a breach of her contract. Disney responded, saying the lawsuit is “especially sad and distressing,” adding that Johansson was paid $20 million for the movie and stands to potentially make even more.
