Disney may have just found the perfect director for its upcoming live-action Cruella film.
According to Deadline, I, Tonya helmer Craig Gillespie is currently in talks to direct the studio’s live-action twist on 101 Dalmations, which would focus not on the adorable spotted pups, but on the film’s infamous villain, Cruella de Vil.
Gillespie would be directing from a script written by Jez Butterworth.
Disney’s original plan was to have Alex Timbers helm the upcoming film. Unfortunately, it sounds as though scheduling conflicts have gotten in the way of Timbers spearheading the project.
The co-creator of Amazon’s Mozart in the Jungle has got his plate full with some high profile Broadway productions coming down the pipeline. Currently, Timbers is working on a Broadway adaptation of Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice. He’s also working with director Baz Luhrman on the upcoming stage adaptation of Moulin Rouge.
The scheduling conflict lies in Disney’s desire to start production on Cruella sooner rather than later, and unfortunately, Timber’s stage work will keep the director busy well through July of next year.
Disney’s Cruella is set to feature Academy Award-winner Emma Stone assuming the role of the iconic villain who will stop at nothing to get her hand on puppy fur in the name of fashion.
Stone has been attached to the project for almost two years. We first heard word that the actress was in talks to play the titular villain back in January of 2016.
There’s currently no word on who else will star in the film alongside Stone, or when we can expect it to hit theaters.
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