Depardieu Puts on the Dog

01/04/1999 at 12:00 AM EST

Cruella DeVille has a French name, so it only stands to reason that her next costar -- in Disney's upcoming sequel to 1996's live-action "101 Dalmatians" -- will be French superstar Gerard Depardieu. Variety reports that the actor is in advanced talks to play opposite Glenn Close's campy villainess Cruella in "102 Dalmatians." Depardieu will play Monsieur Lepelt, who works in tandem with Cruella -- fresh from her jail sentence -- in her dogged attempts to transform spotted canines into coats. The sequel is set to go into production at London's Shepperton Studios Nov. 28.