Emma Thompson in Talks to Join Emma Stone in Disney’s ‘Cruella’

“I, Tonya” director Craig Gillespie is set to direct

Late Night Emma Thompson Mindy Kaling Cruela
Sundance Institute

Emma Thompson is in talks to join “Cruella,” the live-action Cruella de Vil movie starring Emma Stone, an individual with knowledge of the project told TheWrap. Thompson’s role is being kept under wraps.

“I, Tonya” director Craig Gillespie is set to direct. Gillespie previously directed the films “Million Dollar Arm” and “The Finest Hours” for Disney. Tony McNamara wrote the most recent draft of the script. Marc Platt and Andrew Gunn are producing the film. Disney has slated to “Cruella” open on Dec. 23, 2020.

Stone will star in what’s pegged as something of a prequel to “101 Dalmatians” as a young Cruella before she schemed to skin the black-and-white spotted puppies for her fur coat.

Glenn Close previously played the black-and-white-haired Cruella in a 1996 live-action adaptation based on the 1961 animated classic and in its sequel, “102 Dalmatians.”

Should the deal close, “Cruella” would mark the third time Thompson has taken a role in one of Disney’s live-action adaptations. Thompson previously played Mrs. Potts in 2017’s “Beauty and the Beast,” and also played “Mary Poppins” author P.L. Travers in “Saving Mr. Banks.”

Next up, Thompson will be seen in Amazon Studios comedy “Late Night” and Sony’s “Men in Black: International.”

Thomspon is repped by CAA and Hamilton Hodell.

Variety first reported the news.

Comments