Harry Potter Star Emma Thompson Reportedly in Talks to Join Cruella de Vil Movie

Disney live-action remakes are clearly all the rage these days, and it looks like one of the latest entries may have courted a pretty big star. Emma Thompson is reportedly in talks to join Cruella, the live-action Disney prequel movie, according to a new report from Variety.

The live-action film will serve as a 101 Dalmatians prequel of sorts, following a young Cruella de Vil (Emma Stone) in her time before she sought out a coat made of black and white puppies. Thompson's role is being kept under wraps, although previous reports had suggested that she was up for the role of the film's antagonist, Baroness. Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman, Juliane Moore, and Demi Moore were all reportedly considered for the role as well.

The film will be directed by I, Tonya director Craig Gillespie, who previously worked under the Disney umbrella with Million Dollar Arm and The Finest Hours. The latest draft of the script is being written by The Favourite's Tony McNamara.

Thompson's filmography includes playing Professor Sybil Trelawney in the Harry Potter franchise, as well as roles in Love Actually, Sense and Sensibility, and Angels in America. She will next be seen in this summer's Men in Black: International and The Voyage of Doctor Doolittle.

This could mark the third live-action Disney adaptation that Thompson has been a part of, after previously playing Mrs. Potts in 2017's Beauty and the Beast, and Mary Poppins author P.L. Travers in Saving Mr. Banks.

Cruella is just one of many live-action adaptations of animated classics in the works at Disney. The studio is releasing Aladdin and The Lion King this summer, followed by the sequel to Maleficent in the fall. Mulan is slated to arrive in theaters next March.

What do you think of Thompson joining Cruella? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

Cruella is set to land in theaters on December 23, 2020.