A twist on Disney’s classic animated feature Sleeping Beauty, Maleficent revolves around the “Mistress of All Evil,” here played by Angelina Jolie. Much like “Wicked” took the perspective of the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba, Maleficent sees the story through the eyes of the antagonist, revealing just how she did become so evil after all.
In storybook lore, jealous that she was not invited to her christening, Maleficent cursed baby Aurora to prick her finger and die before she hit 16. Once called the “most menacing villain in Disney canon,” it’ll be interested to see how effective Disney is at humanizing a character that’s always been little more than a deep hue of evil.
Visual effects guy Robert Stromberg will direct with John Lee Hancock (Saving Mr. Bank) apparently brought in to do some reshoots. A beautiful, pure-hearted young woman, Maleficent has an idyllic life growing up in a peaceable forest kingdom, until one day when an invading army threatens the harmony of the land. Maleficent rises to be the land’s fiercest protector, but she ultimately suffers a ruthless betrayal — an act that begins to turn her pure heart to stone. Bent on revenge, Maleficent faces an epic battle with the invading king’s successor and, as a result, places a curse upon his newborn infant Aurora (Elle Fanning). As the child grows, Maleficent realizes that Aurora holds the key to peace in the kingdom — and perhaps to Maleficent’s true happiness as well.
Maleficent is directed by Robert Stomberg and stars Angelina Jolie, Miranda Richardson, Imelda Staunton, Kenneth Cranham, Sam Riley, Sharlto Copley, Lesley Manville and Brenton Thwaites. It hits theaters on May 30, 2014.
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By: Matt Oakes
Started blogging about film in college when the university paper wouldn’t have him. Dislikes your consensus film Twitter favorites. Devotee of horror movies that make him die a little inside. Catches films at festivals when he can. Proud SFCS and OFCS member and Tomatometer-approved critic. Editor-in-chief of Silver Screen Riot.
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