Emma Stone inks a deal to appear in a sequel to the 101 Dalmatians prequel Cruella... amid an ongoing controversy regarding Disney+ Premier Access
Emma Stone has inked a deal to appear in a sequel to the recently released film, Cruella.
The news about the 32-year-old performer's venture was first reported on by Deadline, who noted that the forthcoming feature would likely premiere in the near future.
The La La Land star's signing comes amid an ongoing controversy regarding Disney's decision to dual-release its movies in theaters and on the Disney+ streaming service.
Back at it: Emma Stone has inked a deal to reprise her role as Cruella in a sequel to the recently released film; she is seen at its May premiere
Cruella was released this past May and was based on the character of the same name from Dodie Smith's 1956 book The Hundred and One Dalmatians.
The feature followed the prodigy as she made her way throughout the world of fashion while adopting a radical new persona.
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In addition to Stone, the film also starred performers such as Emma Thompson, Joel Fry and Emily Beecham, among others.
Upon the flick's release, it was met with positive reviews from critics and audiences alike.
Source material: The film was centered around its titular character, who first appeared in Dodie Smith's 1956 book The Hundred and One Dalmatians
Stacked cast: In addition to stone, Cruella starred performers such as Emma Thompson and Joel Fry
Cruella notably brought in a gross total of $222 million in ticket sales worldwide.
The feature was also released on the Disney+ streaming service with Premier Access and experienced a healthy turnout from viewers.
Both Stone and Thompson expressed their desire to appear in a sequel to Cruella shortly after its initial debut.
This past June, it was announced that a follow-up feature was officially in development, with director Craig Gillespie set to return to his role.
Ready to go again: Development on a sequel began not long after Cruella's initial release, and its director has signed on to perform in the same capacity for the follow-up
Endeavor executive chairman Patrick Whitesell, whose agency represents Stone, gave a statement to the media outlet regarding Disney's recent business practices.
The media giant was recently sued by Scarlett Johansson, who argues that her salary for the recently-premiered film Black Widow was negatively affected by the company's decision to dual-release the feature in theaters and digitally.
The chairman expressed that, although the global pandemic has affected the way that films are shown, performers have to be treated with respect.
'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,' he said.
Risky business: Stone's signing comes amid an ongoing controversy regarding Disney's business practices with its streaming service, Disney+
Whitesell also noted that Stone's deal with Disney meant that future improvements could be made regarding the relationship between performers and companies.
'This agreement demonstrates that there can be an equitable path forward that protects artists and aligns studios' interests with talent,' he expressed.
The chairman specifically pointed out that the media giant was particularly generous in negotiating with the actress and hammering out a deal that satisfied all parties.
Setting an example: Whitesell expressed that Stone's deal proved that 'there can be an equitable path forward that protects artists and aligns studios' interests with talent'
He remarked: 'We are proud to work alongside Emma and Disney, and appreciate the studio's willingness to recognize her contributions as a creative partner.'
Whitesell concluded by expressing hope for any future business decisions made with streaming services in mind.
'We are hopeful that this will open the door for more members of the creative community to participate in the success of new platforms,' he noted.
A potential release date for Cruella's sequel has not been announced as of yet.
Looking forward: A potential release date for a sequel to Cruella has not been made public as of yet
