If you've been paying attention to the current world of TV and movies you'll notice a trend emerging: nostalgia is ruling the day. The past few years have seen a strong resurgence of 90's (and older) culture, resulting in reboots and long awaited sequels finally coming to fruition, much to the joy of twenty-somethings who would like to go back to a simpler time. To cash in on this, Disney has been greenlighting a ton of live-action adaptations of classic animated movies, which began gaining momentum after 2014's Maleficent. One of the more recently announced live-action adaptation is Cruella, which will follow the misdeeds of the fabulous villain from 101 Dalmatians. Much of the details from the movie are a mystery, but we've just become privy to some changes to the writing team.
The Tracking Board has just reported that screenwriter Jez Butterworth has been approached to help write Cruella for the House of Mouse. Butterworth has been tasked with assisting writer Kelly Marcel, who will be staying on as the lead writer of the comedy.
Jez Butterworth is a pretty big win for Cruella. While Kelly Marcel has a few big credits under her belt, including 50 Shades of Grey and Disney's Mary Poppins origin dramedy Saving Mr. Banks, Butterworth is probably a bigger name and more experienced writer. Moviegoers will perhaps be more familiar with Jez Butterworth's work, with big-budget blockbusters under his belt such as Spectre, Black Mass, and Get On Up. Although it is important to note that the majority of his writing projects were dramas, so Cruella might be quite the transition. Marcel's Disney sensibility and Butterworth's tenure as a writer will likely combine into an exciting and fresh script for the upcoming live-action movie.
While Cruella is still in its very early stages of development, it's certainly looking to be a promising new venture into the world of live-action Disney tales. The movie will star the incomparable Emma Stone in the title role, which seems like a pretty brilliant choice. After her Broadway run of Cabaret, she's clearly a capable enough singer and can rock a serious British accent. And with her star power only continuing to grow, Stone should be able to help bring Cruella to both critical and financial success. Also attached to the project is Executive Producer Glenn Close, who played Cruella in the 1996 live action version of 101 Dalmatians. Close surely knows the character well, and will be a valuable resource to both Emma Stone and the production as a whole.
Cruella is just the latest in a long line of live-action adaptations that Disney is bringing to the big screen. We recently saw The Jungle Book wow audiences and make a ton of money for the House of Mouse. Additionally, audiences are looking forward to the highly anticipated live action Beauty and the Beast, which boasts a cast of A-listers.
