Just when you’ve thought you’ve seen all the live-action reimaginings that Disney could pull off, they come up with yet another one. 101 Dalmatians is a favorite among Disney fans, and now like Cinderella, The Jungle Book, Pete’s Dragon, Beauty And The Beast, Pinocchio, Dumbo, Mulan, Winnie The Pooh, the untitled Aladdin prequel Genie, The Sword in the Stone, Tinkerbell, and Prince Charming. But it doesn’t look like it will be just another straight forward adaptation.

The script, which is being written by Kelly Marcel (Fifty Shades of Grey, Saving Mr. Banks), doesn’t have a director yet, but the studio is aiming high for its lead character. According to new reports, Emma Stone (Birdman, The Help) is now in talks to play Cruella de Vil. More on the story below.

The Hollywood Reporter was the first to report on the news. Based on the report, Marcel’s script is intended to be an origins story for the character, rather than just another interpretation of the animated classic. Aline Brosh McKenna worked on an early version of the script.

Disney’s live-action adaptation of their animated classics have proven to be a very lucrative. Alice In Wonderland was a huge hit at the box office grossing a bit over $1 billion in 2010. Maleficent earned over $750 million. Cinderella managed to capture everyone’s hearts, and was a relative box office hit as well, earning over $500 million. The studio is set to release The Jungle Book and Alice Through The Looking Glass this year.

For those who may be unfamiliar with 101 Dalmatians, the story follows a notable socialite who has earned her wealth through her collections of various fur coats. When she discovers that her friend, Anita, has a dog that has just given birth to a litter of puppies, she offers to buy them so that she can skin them for their fur. However, Anita declines the cruel offer, which forces de Vil to hire henchmen to steal them.

Glenn Close played her in the 1996 live-action film, and reprised that role again in a sequel.

As aforementioned no director is attached to the film as of yet, but Disney is making it a priority to find a director as they want to start shooting as early as this year. Emma Stone appeared in Cameron Crowe’s Aloha and Woody Allen’s An Irrational Man. She will co-star alongside Ryan Gosling, for a third time, in Damien Chazelle’s La La Land.

[Source: THR]