If you haven’t figured out the Disney game plan going forward it’s this: brand extension. They tried some more original fare with "John Carter" and "The Lone Ranger," but both were badly bungled and even worse (for the studio anyway), hardly started the kind of excitement that spurs the purchase of underoos or video games. So Disney is circling the wagons and staying in the business of what they own and know: "Star Wars," Marvel movies and fairy tales. So, to that end, the forthcoming "Maleficent" and "Cinderella" is getting some company….
THR reveals that work has begun on "Cruella," with remake queen Aline Brosh McKenna ("Annie," "Cinderella") penning the script. Of course, details on this reboot are being kept locked away but it’s not the first time the studio has brought the villain, most famously conjured in the 1961 animated film "101 Dalmatians," to human form. Glenn Close famously played the two-tone, fur-loving character in 1996’s live action "101 Dalmatians" and the 2000 sequel, "102 Dalmatians." Whether or not the character will once again be squaring off against some very cute puppies or if this will be some kind of ill-advised prequel backstory nonsense, remains to be seen.
Either way, it’s yet another indication that Disney just wants to keep their properties growing like some kind of oil slick of consumerism.