Emma Stone has shared an update on the long-awaited sequel to her 2021 smash hit Cruella, the live-action prequel to the Disney animated classic “101 Dalmations”.
The live-action featured Stone playing the title role, an aspiring fashion designer who becomes the iconic Disney villain, Cruella de Vil.
The movie is set in the 1970s and highlights how the eponymous villain Cruella de Vil became someone who thought it was a good idea to try and murder dozens of puppies to make a new outfit.
The live-action is the third adaptation of the animated classic, following two movies by Glenn Close as the Disney villain.
“Cruella” also starred Emma Thompson, Joel Fry, Mily Beecham, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Mark Strong, Tipper Seifert Cleveland, and others.
The movie was released in theaters and on Disney+ on May 28 and was incredibly well-received by audiences around the globe.
It grossed $235.5 million worldwide from a budget estimated to be $100 million during its summer 2021 theatrical run.
The sequel was announced in June 2021, a few weeks after the live-action prequel premiere, with Stone closing her deal to return two months later.
Stone was attending the Palm Springs International Film Festival to receive the Desert Palm Achievement Award for her performance in "Poor Things".
Stone hit the red carpet on Thursday when she was asked for an update on the sequel, confirming it's still happening.
When asked when the sequel would start shooting, Stone said, "You tell me. Hopefully it's sooner rather than later,".
Stone was asked if she's seen a script for the sequel quite yet, and she admitted it's a, "work in progress kind of thing going on,".
"Yeah, we'll see what happens," she said, as she was asked, "How much do you want to revisit that?".
"It's a blast. She's a blast. So yeah, we'll see. It's a very... it's a work in progress," Stone admitted.
Both Cruella director Craig Gillespie (I, Tonya) and screenwriter Tony McNamara (Poor Things) are expected to return for the sequel, but there has been little movement on the project since.
She said her character Bella Baxter was a character unlike any she had read on the page before, giving a shout-out on stage to writer and director Yorgos Lanthimos.
Stone described Bella as a woman who is immune to external expectations and impervious to judgment and shame.
"Playing Bella was challenging because I had to try to unlearn those aspects in myself, and it also made her an absolute joy to play," she noted.
"To make this film has been a highlight of my life, mainly thanks to a true creative soulmate," she said, referring to Lanthimos.
She had previously starred in Lanthimos' last feature movie, 2018's "The Favourite" along with his 30-minute short film "Bleat."
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