Cruella director Craig Gillespie is already eyeing a potential sequel to the hit Disney movie. The film tells the origin story of the infamous villain Cruella de Vil (Emma Stone), set in the 70s punk-rock era of London. The iconic villain was first introduced in the 1956 children's novel The Hundred and One Dalmatians before Disney put its own animated spin on the tale. A live-action film titled 101 Dalmations featured Glenn Close as the titular villain, who was campy, ruthless, and hard to empathize with, was released in 1996.
Rather than showing Cruella as a bloodthirsty puppy killer, Emma Stone's version of the character is an underdog who combats her childhood trauma to claw her way to the top. Alongside Stone's Cruella are her partners-in-crime Jasper (Joel Fry), Horace (Paul Walter Hauser), and her childhood friend Anita Darling (Kirby Howell-Baptiste.) Cruella also has a nemesis of her own, fashion designer Baroness von Hellman (Emma Thompson). Despite the film's recent release, Gillespie is already thinking about sequel possibilities.
When speaking to Collider, Gillipse was asked if he would like to see Cruella's story continue on the big screen. The director notes that he's excited to explore "full-blown Cruella" in future installments of the franchise, adding "she can really expand on her brand." You can check out his full quote below.
"I feel like we've only just met her. I'd love to now see the full-blown Cruella, fully loaded. She's managed to get the support system around her and she can really expand on her brand. I'd love to see where that takes her and how you could almost destroy her from inside out, if she's not careful with all that power."
Gillespie was also asked if he would return to the director's seat for a Cruella 2, which he's open as long as the cast and crew all return. He also said he believes Disney was "so supportive" of his experimental ideas and pushing the envelope, as the story is darker than many blockbuster Disney films.
Cruella is not the first time Disney's taken a stab at humanizing a villain. 2014's Maleficent, which also received a sequel, took a similar approach. It's clear after its weekend release that moviegoers were captivated by the complex dynamic Stone brought to the well-known character. But the reviews are mixed on whether the plot was strong enough or if the content of Cruella was too bleak and threatening for a children's film. However, it's clear that Gillespie has plenty more ideas for a Cruella sequel, so it sounds like all he's waiting for is a green light.
Source: Collider