News: Disney Adds to Their Live Action Adaptations with "Cruella"

Disney is seemingly rushing all of its greatest animated titles and characters to live action births on the big screen. 

Kelly Marcel, known for scripting the Fifty Shades of Grey adaptation and Saving Mr. Banks, has next been set to write Walt Disney Pictures’ live-action Cruella. The pic, which follows the Maleficent mold, presents a new spin on the affluent villainess Cruella de Vil, who sought to skin dalmatian pups and wear their fur in Disney’s animated classic 101 Dalmations.

They've already had success with Alice in Wonderland, Maleficent, and Cinderella. Jon Favreau’s The Jungle Book, Alice Through the Looking Glass, and Bill Condon’s Beauty and the Beast are already wrapped and awaiting release, while Tim Burton’s Dumbo, a Maleficent sequel, an Aladdin prequel, and the Reese Witherspoon-led Peter Pan prequel Tink are greenlit. Development on live-action adaptations of Mulan, Pinocchio, and The Little Mermaid is already underway.

Aline Brosh McKenna wrote an earlier draft of Cruella, which is based upon the character who first appeared in Dodie Smith’s 1956 novel The Hundred and One Dalmatians. Though, Cruella de Vil was made iconic by Disney’s interpretation in the 1961 animated film. Cruella has twice before been brought to life in live-action features, with Glenn Close playing the character in 101 Dalmations and its sequel, 102 Dalmations.

Marcel is also known for creating, producing, and scripting Fox’s futuristic dinosaur series Terra Nova.

Source: The Tracking Board