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Cruella, the prequel to Disney’s 101 Dalmatians is reportedly getting a sequel, after its runaway box office success.

The film, which stars Emma Stone as the puppy-skinning villain, debuted in cinemas and on Disney+ last month, earning a healthy $48.5m (£34.2m) at the box office.

Its hybrid release marks the start of a new way of releasing films for Disney, with more consumers willing to pay to watch the film at home, and underscores the studio’s business shift into the streaming market.

Director Craig Gillespie arrives at the premiere of "Cruella" at the El Capitan Theatre on Tuesday, May 18, 2021, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
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Director Craig Gillespie is thought to be in early development for a sequel. Pic: Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

Now, the prequel is likely getting a sequel, according to The Hollywood Reporter, which says that director Craig Gillespie and writer Tony McNamara are coming back for more, and have begun early development with Disney.

The studio told the outlet: “We are very pleased with Cruella’s box office success, in conjunction with its strong Disney+ Premier Access performance to date.

“The film has been incredibly well received by audiences around the world, with a 97% Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes in addition to A’s in every demographic from CinemaScore on opening weekend, ranking it among the most popular of our live-action reimaginings. We look forward to a long run as audiences continue to enjoy this fantastic film.”

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Cruella tells the story of the 101 Dalmatians villain, who terrorises a couple after their dogs give birth to a litter of Dalmatian puppies, in an effort to turn them into fur coats.

It has enjoyed generally positive reviews, with critics commenting on the film’s punky-aesthetic.

The original 1961 animated Disney film was remade in 1996, with Glenn Close playing the crazed Cruella De Vil, and a sequel to that – 102 Dalmatians – was released in 2000.

Disney will be hoping that the rebooted franchise will be able to replicate its 1960s success, with the original thought to have saved the film studio after it lost money due to the previous film, Cinderella (which has also been rebooted).

The entertainment behemoth is cranking out live-action remakes at the moment, having already released versions of Aladdin, Beauty And The Beast, The Lion King and Alice In Wonderland – with more on the way.

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Trump administration halts international student visa applications

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Trump administration halts international student visa applications

The Trump administration has stopped the scheduling of new visa interviews for foreign students hoping to study in the US while it prepares to expand social media vetting of applicants.

A US official said on Tuesday the suspension is intended to be temporary and does not apply to applicants who already have visa interviews scheduled.

The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss an internal administration document.

A downturn in enrolment of international students could hurt university budgets in the US.

To make up for cuts in federal research funding, some colleges previously shifted to enrolling more international students, who often pay full tuition.

Now, an internal cable signed by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and seen by the Associated Press news agency shows how new student visa interviews are being halted as the US State Department plans to issue guidance on expanded social media vetting.

The cable says that “in preparation for an expansion of required social media screening and vetting, consulate sections should not add any additional student or exchange visitor visa appointment capacity” until the guidance is issued.

It also says the halting of new visa interviews is “effective immediately”.

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Asked about the suspension at a briefing on Tuesday, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said the US uses every available resource to vet people applying for visas.

“We will continue to use every tool we can to assess who it is that’s coming here, whether they are students or otherwise,” Ms Bruce said.

The move, first reported by Politico, is the latest in the White House’s crackdown on international students.

Last week, the Trump administration revoked Harvard University’s ability to enrol international students, removing the college from the programme that allows schools to sponsor foreign students for visas.

That effort was quickly challenged in court and for now is blocked by a federal judge.

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Harvard foreign student ban blocked

This spring the Trump administration also revoked the legal status of thousands of international students already in the country, leading some to leave the US out of fear of deportation.

After many students filed successful legal challenges, the administration said it was restoring the students’ legal status.

But the government also expanded the grounds for terminating international students’ legal status going forward.

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US President Donald Trump’s previous administration stepped up scrutiny of all visa applicants, introducing reviews of their social media accounts.

The policy remained during President Joe Biden’s administration.

An extended pause in scheduling student visas could lead to delays that may disrupt college, boarding school or exchange students’ plans to enrol in summer and autumn terms.

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Trump vs universities: Could social media deny students entry to US?

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Trump vs universities: Could social media deny students entry to US?

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The Trump administration has ordered embassies to stop scheduling student visa appointments as it prepares to implement strict social media vetting.

US correspondents Martha Kelner and James Matthews discuss why the administration is introducing the drastic measures and what a ban on international students could mean for the US.

Plus, Trump has threatened to pull California’s federal funding over one high school trans athlete.

If you’ve got a question you’d like the Trump100 team to answer, you can email it to trump100@sky.uk.

Don’t forget, you can also watch all episodes on our YouTube channel.

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SpaceX Starship rocket spins out of control on test flight, marking third failure in a row

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SpaceX Starship rocket spins out of control on test flight, marking third failure in a row

A test flight of SpaceX’s Starship rocket has failed for the third time in a row.

It began spinning out of control about 30 minutes after its launch because of fuel leaks – meaning it broke up on re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere.

“Our chances of making it all the way down to the Indian Ocean are pretty slim,” a SpaceX commentator said during a livestream.

There had been hopes of a successful mission, as the rocket had progressed beyond the point of explosive past failures in January and March.

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March: SpaceX debris lights up sky after failed launch

But plans to release a series of mock satellites after lift-off were abandoned because its payload door failed to open fully.

The vessel had been mounted atop a Super Heavy booster that was being reused for the first time ever – and while that was meant to make a soft landing, it ended up slamming into the Gulf of Mexico.

SpaceX hopes that Starship will one day be used to ferry people and cargo to Mars, but this latest setback plunges Elon Musk’s ambitions into doubt.

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Failed launches earlier this year disrupted dozens of flights across the US – and the project was grounded for two months while an investigation took place.

Musk was due to update the world on his space exploration ambitions later, in a speech entitled “The Road to Making Life Multiplanetary” – but the event has been delayed without explanation.

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Jan: Starship explosion sparks travel chaos

Nonetheless, the world’s richest man described the latest test flight as a “big improvement”.

He also vowed to pick up the pace with future launches – and says the next three flights will take place every three to four weeks.

On X, the company added: “With a test like this, success comes from what we learn, and today’s test will help us improve Starship’s reliability.”

NASA needs SpaceX to make huge advances with Starship over the next 12 months as the US agency tries to fulfil an ambition of landing astronauts back on the moon.

Musk had been hoping for success after pledging to start focusing on his many businesses – Tesla, X and SpaceX among them – after attempting to slash government spending while in the Trump administration.

Footage posted on social media showed the billionaire watching the test flight unfold from a control centre, while wearing the T-shirt “Occupy Mars”.

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