Hot off the global success of Avengers: Endgame, assistant art director Luke Whitelock has booked his next project, a long in development Disney origin film.
HN Entertainment has learned Whitelock has joined the production crew for Disney’s Cruella, starring Emma Stone.
Whitelock is no stranger to the house of mouse working on films such as the live-action adaptation of Beauty and the Beast, Guardians of the Galaxy, Doctor Strange, and both Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame. He also worked on the studios upcoming Aladdin remake, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil both due out this year. Whitelock will also be working on Bond 25.
Production on the project is expected to begin this summer. I, Tonya director Craig Gillespie will helm the project from a script from Tony McNamara (The Favorite). The script is still being worked on.
Casting on the film is still ongoing. Last month we reported Slumdog Millionaire star Dev Patel was in talks for the role of “Raj” aka Roger. Aquaman star Nicole Kidman is also reportedly Disney’s top choice for the role of the “Baroness,” an antagonist to Cruella who’s thought to be pivotal in her transformation to the villain we know today.
Emma Thompson, Charlize Theron, Julianne Moore, and Demi Moore all believed to be in the running for the role.
Classic characters from 101 Dalmatians are expected to appear in the film including Cruella’s bumbling henchmen Jasper and Horace, and we hear the studio is looking for an African American actor for the role of Jasper.
Here is a mini-synopsis on the film.
Estella (Cruella De Vil) lives on the streets of 1970’s London with other hoodlums, where we learn the real origins behind Estella’s hatred of Dalmatians.
Disney’s Cruella is set to hit theaters on December 23, 2020.
Source: HN Entertainment
