Angelina Jolie in Talks to Play Disney Villain Maleficent

[Visceral_Fella]

That synopsis is terrible.

[best12bars]

The real wincers:

1) She's fighting to save the kingdom from an invasion and becomes its fiercest protector = fail.

2) She puts a curse on baby Aurora and then regrets it and realizes Aurora holds the key to peace in the kingdom (I'm guessing by marrying Prince Philip and forming an alliance) and possibly her own happiness as well = fail.

So then what? Probably ...

She turns herself into a dragon and commits harakiri by throwing herself on Phillip's "sword of truth" in the name of peace and salvation?

Oh, sure. "Maleficent the Misunderstood Martyr."

"She's really nice, once you get to know her."

[best12bars]

Oh, forgot to mention ...

Judging from those photos, I guess brown is the new black.

[JerseyGirl2]

Disney has been trying to jump on the Wicked coattails for years. They have a book called Fairest of them All that is The Evil Queen: The Early Years. The magic mirror was behind it all. If memory serves, it was her father's spirit trapped in the mirror? It wasn't her fault. The best part of that book was that at the end, someone gave Snow White the same mirror as a wedding gift. I likes the idea of Snow White turning evil.

[BroadwayBenny]

Disney has already had three strikes with overly produced CGI fest movies (John Carter, Oz and Lone Ranger) in their clearly desperate attempt to find the next Pirates of the Caribbean or Alice in Wonderland. Who is running the show in their live action arena? Because Maleficent has "stink bomb" written all over it. Hope I'm wrong.

[best12bars]

Well, arguably, Oz the Great and Powerful succeeded. It made half a billion dollars worldwide (half of that in the U.S. alone), and while it pales in comparison to the "Pirates" franchise, plans are already underway for a sequel ... and assuming that does well (enough), they will continue down the Yellow Brick Road with their merchandising contracts in hand.

I just wish the story were better. But for so many people, that doesn't matter much.

EDIT: And I really wince at the way merchandising controls storytelling at Disney now. We have to have a nice, fuzzy flying monkey, so we can have nice, fuzzy plush toys to sell. Consequently, we have a "nice, fuzzy" Maleficent in the making here, brown no less, which helps them picture a cute, cuddly Maleficent plush toy lining many shelves. Ugh.

I want thorns and horns and malice! Not a kinder, gentler evil fairy who just wants to be loved by the kids.

[StageManager2]

She turns herself into a dragon and commits harakiri by throwing herself on Phillip's "sword of truth" in the name of peace and salvation?

besty, that cracked me up! XD

But seriously, why don't they just change her name altogether to Beneficent, which means "doing or producing good"? Otherwise, the name Maleficent makes no sense in this context. If she were peaceful and a do-gooder from the start, why would she have a malicious name?

[TheatreDiva90016]

Her birth name was actually Betsy Olsen...

[James885]

Wow, that synopsis sounds awful.


How long till we see Maleficent The Musical??

[Jungle Red]

This was posted on Reddit. Not sure if it's legitimate, but pretty cool anyway.

[best12bars]

The poster is pretty kickass.

The right actress, the right role ... the wrong script/story.

Yes, I'm making assumptions based on that hideous synopsis.

[Jordan Catalano]

It's not real. If it was there would be some hokey ass tagline like "The real story of the most misunderstood villain of all time"

[best12bars]

"The wickedest wicked villain that doesn't live in Oz."

[Jordan Catalano]

[StageManager2]

I still don't understand why they changed the fairies' names to the hideous-sounding Knotgrass, Flittle, and Thistlewit. What was wrong with Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather?

[best12bars]

Jordan --- Tallulah Bankhorns?

And SM2 --- because these sound more Middle Earthian to them.

"Lord of the Ca-chings!"

[Jungle Red]

I guess they're trying to distance themselves as far as they can from the original cartoon, since I don't see a copyright issue with the names.

[best12bars]

Instead of Flora (plant life), Fauna (animal life), and Merryweather (climate), they should have just called them Earth, Wind and Fire.

[Jungle Red]

Add two others and make it Captain Planet!

[best12bars]

I laughed so hard the other day that I "Flittled."

I had to change my underwear.

[beautywickedlover]

"I guess they're trying to distance themselves as far as they can from the original cartoon, since I don't see a copyright issue with the names."

At least in the upcoming re-imagining of 'Cinderella', they will use the same names as the original Disney cartoon.

"In a twist, Sophie will actually play one of the evil step sisters — Drizella

“The Borgias” actress Holliday Grainger (she played Lucrezia Borgia), plays Sophie’s on-screen sister, Anastasia, and the wicked stepmother, Lady Tremaine – will be played by Cate Blanchett."

http://www.accesshollywood.com/downton-abbeys-sophie-mcshera-gears-up-for-disneys-cinderella_article_83138?__source=rss%7Cimdb%7Clatest-originals

[Jungle Red]

I understand, except that's a live action adaptation. Maleficent is a retelling. I know I'm picking hairs.

I'm so looking forward to Cate in the bedroom scene. The scene from the cartoon scares the crap out of me. (the scene where we first see the stepmother, and Lucifer.)

[Musical Master]

Oh god.. That synopsis is terrible. I've heard that Paul Dini was hired to "revise" some of Woolverton's script, so with a talent like Paul, I hope it's at least tolerable.

I know that the misunderstood villian thing is getting old (it is), but AS LONG as they do something different with it, I won't mind.

And as I have said, I'll give this a chance until it is released in July next year.

[romantico]

Rick Baker is doing her make up so I wonder what that will be like. Low key or over the top? I wish they would release some images of her from the actual film instead of candids.Even though it does not come out until March, I am surprised we have not seen a trailer for this yet.D23 would have been the perfect time and place to release a first trailer.

[beautywickedlover]

"Even though it does not come out until March,"

It's not being released till July 2014. 'The Muppets' sequel will be released in March 2014 instead.

http://insidemovies.ew.com/2013/01/14/disney-moves-maleficent-to-summer-2014-claims-summer-2015-for-capt-jack-sparrow/

[TheatreDiva90016]

Here you go, Romantico!