Maleficent (film)

Maleficent is a powerful fairy living in the Moors, a magical forest realm bordering a human kingdom. As a child, she meets a human peasant boy named Stefan, and they fall in love with each other. However, as they get older, they grow apart, with Stefan's love being overshadowed by his ambition to be king, while Maleficent becomes protector of the Moors.

When King Henry attempts to conquer the Moors, Maleficent mortally wounds him. On his deathbed, he declares that whoever kills her will be king and marry his daughter Leila. Stefan visits Maleficent and drugs her. Unwilling to kill her, Stefan cuts off her wings instead and presents them as "proof" of her death. While distraught by the loss of her wings, Maleficent saves Diaval, a trapped raven, from a farmer and turns him into a human. Diaval offers his service and tells her of Stefan's coronation. Infuriated over the betrayal, Maleficent grows cruel and bitter, ruling the Moors with an iron fist.

Years later, Diaval informs Maleficent about the christening of Stefan's newborn daughter, Aurora. Maleficent arrives uninvited and places a curse on Aurora: before the sun sets on Aurora's sixteenth birthday, Aurora will prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and fall into a death-like sleep. Maleficent mocks Stefan's plea for mercy, but offers that Aurora's curse can be broken by true love's kiss, which she and Stefan both believe is nonexistent. Stefan orders three pixies, Knotgrass, Flittle, and Thistlewit, to hide and protect Aurora in a forest cottage until the day after her sixteenth birthday. He also destroys every spinning wheel in the kingdom, hiding their remnants in the castle dungeon; he then sends his army to kill Maleficent, but she surrounds the Moors with a wall of thorns. Over the years, Stefan begins mass-manufacturing weapons of iron, which is lethal to fairies; he grows obsessed with killing Maleficent to the point of insanity, even refusing to see his wife on her deathbed.

Maleficent and Diaval watch Aurora grow from afar, and secretly begin taking over care of her from the incompetent pixies. After several face-to-face encounters with Maleficent, whom she believes to be her "fairy godmother", Aurora bonds with her and regularly visits the Moors. Realizing she doesn't have the heart to hurt Aurora, Maleficent privately and unsuccessfully attempts to undo Aurora's curse, forgetting she made "no power on earth" able to do so. Meanwhile, Aurora meets Philip, a prince from the neighboring kingdom, and both are mildly attracted to each other.

Aurora gains Maleficent's permission to live in the Moors before her sixteenth birthday. The next day, however, the pixies reveal Aurora's lineage and curse before she can inform them. Heartbroken, Aurora rides to her father's castle, where Stefan locks her up, intent on killing Maleficent and angered that the pixies didn't do their job. As the sun sets, the curse's power hypnotically draws Aurora to the dungeon, where Aurora pricks her finger on a spindle of a rebuilt magic spinning wheel and falls into a death-like sleep. Hoping to save her, Maleficent and Diaval kidnap Philip and infiltrate the castle. Despite the pixies urging him, Philip's kiss fails. Afterward, Maleficent tearfully kisses Aurora, awakening her with true maternal love.

As Maleficent, Aurora, and Diaval attempt to leave, Stefan and his guards ambush them. Maleficent transforms Diaval into a dragon, but both are subdued. Aurora finds and releases Maleficent's caged wings, which reattach themselves to Maleficent, allowing her to fight back. Maleficent drags Stefan to the top of a tower; unwilling to kill him, she announces the fight is over and leaves, but Stefan tackles her from behind, dragging them both off; she saves herself with her wings, while he loses hold and falls to his death.

With Stefan gone, Maleficent returns the Moors to their former glory and crowns Aurora their new ruler, uniting the two kingdoms. Aurora also starts a relationship with Philip.

{{Main article|List of Disney's Sleeping Beauty characters}}

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| image1=Angelina Jolie at the launch of the UK initiative on preventing sexual violence in conflict, 29 May 2012 (cropped).jpg

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| footer=Top row: Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning, Sharlto Copley, and Leslie Manville play Maleficent, Aurora, Stefan, and Flittle.
Bottom row: Imelda Staunton, Juno Temple, Sam Riley, and Brenton Thwaites play Knotgrass, Thistlewit, Diaval, and Prince Philip.

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• Angelina Jolie as Maleficent, a fierce and vindictive protector of the Moors who, in revenge for the betrayal by her former lover Stefan, places a curse on his daughter Aurora.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/berlin-2012-angelina-jolie-eyeing-disney-film-maleficent-289515/|title=Berlin 2012: Disney's 'Maleficent' Will Be Angelina Jolie's Next Starring Role|last1=Szalai|first1=Georg|last2=McClintock|first2=Pamela|date=February 11, 2012|magazine=The Hollywood Reporter|accessdate=December 19, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221219055326/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/berlin-2012-angelina-jolie-eyeing-disney-film-maleficent-289515/|archive-date=December 19, 2022|url-status=live}} Unlike her animated counterpart, this version of the character is portrayed more sympathetically.{{cite news|last=Burk|first=Greg|date=June 12, 2014|title=Op-Ed: Disney's 'Maleficent': Romancing the devil|url=https://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-burk-maleficent-disney-20140613-story.html|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=November 30, 2023|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230610124538/https://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-burk-maleficent-disney-20140613-story.html|archive-date=June 10, 2023|url-access=limited}} As the film progresses, Maleficent turns from a victim into a villain, following Stefan's betrayal, and finally into a hero because of the maternal feelings she develops for Aurora.{{cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/maleficent-versus-sleeping-beauty-how-do-they-87349410587.html|title=The Differences Between 'Maleficent' and 'Sleeping Beauty'|date=May 31, 2014|website=Yahoo!|access-date=June 13, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230201061232/https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/maleficent-versus-sleeping-beauty-how-do-they-87349410587.html|archive-date=February 1, 2023|url-status=live}} Jolie described her character as "slightly insane, extremely vibrant, a little wicked, and has a big sense of humor, so she's quite full-on. She's one of those characters that, for me, you couldn't do halfway."{{sfn|Solomon|2014|page=130}} She further admitted that Maleficent was one of the most difficult characters that she had ever played because "she represents all sides of what it is to be human, even though she is not… For me, the journey of playing her has been much heavier, much more emotional, and much more difficult an experience than I expected."{{cite web|date=May 28, 2014|title=Q & A with Angelina Jolie on Maleficent|url=https://geekireland.com/q-a-with-angelina-jolie-on-maleficent/|work=Geek Ireland|access-date=February 23, 2024|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240223155812/https://geekireland.com/q-a-with-angelina-jolie-on-maleficent/|archive-date=February 23, 2024}}
• Isobelle Molloy as Young Maleficent.{{cite news|last=Charalambous|first=Sophia|title=Chelmsford schoolgirl stars in Disney movie with Angelina Jolie|url=http://www.essexchronicle.co.uk/Chelmsford-schoolgirl-stars-Disney-movie-Angelina/story-17265058-detail/story.html|accessdate=June 13, 2023|work=Essex Chronicle|date=November 8, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140324141536/http://www.essexchronicle.co.uk/Chelmsford-schoolgirl-stars-Disney-movie-Angelina/story-17265058-detail/story.html|archive-date=March 24, 2014}}
• Ella Purnell as Teen Maleficent.{{cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/blogs/celeb-news/meet-young-angelina-jolie-in--maleficent---actress-ella-purnell-184716888.html|title=Meet Young Angelina Jolie in 'Maleficent': Actress Ella Purnell|last=Stephens|first=Hallie|date=May 29, 2014|work=Yahoo!|accessdate=December 19, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221219070154/https://yahoo.com/entertainment/blogs/celeb-news/meet-young-angelina-jolie-in--maleficent---actress-ella-purnell-184716888.html|archive-date=December 19, 2022|url-status=live}}
• Elle Fanning as Aurora, also known as Sleeping Beauty, an innocent, pure-hearted, and free-spirited daughter of Stefan and Leila who falls under Maleficent's curse.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2012/03/elle-fanning-to-join-angelina-jolie-in-maleficent-241516/|title=Elle Fanning To Join Angelina Jolie In 'Maleficent'|last=Fleming|first=Mike Jr.|date=March 3, 2012|work=Deadline Hollywood|accessdate=December 19, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221219055321/https://deadline.com/2012/03/elle-fanning-to-join-angelina-jolie-in-maleficent-241516/|archive-date=December 19, 2022|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|date=June 4, 2014|title=Elle Fanning on the spell of 'Maleficent'|url=https://www.dispatch.com/story/entertainment/movies/2014/06/04/elle-fanning-on-spell-maleficent/23381637007/|work=The Columbus Dispatch|access-date=February 23, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240223153640/https://www.dispatch.com/story/entertainment/movies/2014/06/04/elle-fanning-on-spell-maleficent/23381637007/|archive-date=February 23, 2024|url-status=live}} Fanning described her character as "very free spirited, and since she has been kept away from normal life, she's very open to things and innocent. But that's what makes her very likable and charming."{{cite web|url=https://www.clickthecity.com/movies/article/29821/elle-fanning-is-princess-aurora-in-maleficent/|title=Elle Fanning is Princess Aurora in 'Maleficent'|date=May 15, 2014|website=ClickTheCity.com|accessdate=December 19, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221219132525/https://www.clickthecity.com/movies/article/29821/elle-fanning-is-princess-aurora-in-maleficent/|archive-date=December 19, 2022|url-status=live}} Robert Stromberg highlighted the contrast between Aurora and Maleficent, which he described as the "beacon of light vs. darkness… It reminds me a little of the girl plucking petals from the flower in Frankenstein. It's such a wonderful contrast and the joy in making this film was bringing those two elements together and discovering things that we normally wouldn't know."{{cite web|last=Desowitz|first=Bill|title=Director Robert Stromberg Talks 'Maleficent': Cutting Edge Virtual Cinema and Age-Old Emotional Storytelling|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2014/05/director-robert-stromberg-talks-maleficent-cutting-edge-virtual-cinema-and-age-old-emotional-storytelling-191958/|access-date=February 25, 2023|work=IndieWire|date=May 30, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230225053927/https://www.indiewire.com/2014/05/director-robert-stromberg-talks-maleficent-cutting-edge-virtual-cinema-and-age-old-emotional-storytelling-191958/|archive-date=February 25, 2023|url-status=live}}
• Vivienne Jolie-Pitt as 5-year-old Aurora.{{cite magazine|first=Josh|last=Duboff|date=March 5, 2014|title=Vivienne Jolie-Pitt Scored Maleficent Role Because All Other Children Were Terrified of Angelina Jolie|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2014/03/maleficent-angelina-jolie-vivienne-jolie-pitt|magazine=Vanity Fair|accessdate=March 20, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160413022907/http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2014/03/maleficent-angelina-jolie-vivienne-jolie-pitt|archive-date=April 13, 2016|url-status=live}}
• Eleanor Worthington Cox as 8-year-old Aurora.{{cite news|last=Miles|first=Tina|title=Young Formby actress to play Sleeping Beauty in Angelina Jolie's Disney movie Maleficent|url=https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/young-formby-actress-play-sleeping-3331417|work=Liverpool Echo|access-date=January 2, 2023|date=October 4, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105044311/http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/young-formby-actress-play-sleeping-3331417|archive-date=November 5, 2013|url-status=live}}
• Janet McTeer as an elderly Aurora, who serves as the film's narrator.{{Cite web|url=http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/06/08/maleficent-reaches-higher-ground-disney-revisionists.html|title='Maleficent' reaches higher ground for Disney revisionists|last=Simanjuntak|first=Tertiani ZB|date=June 8, 2014|website=The Jakarta Post|access-date=April 13, 2024|archive-date=October 1, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151001144703/http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/06/08/maleficent-reaches-higher-ground-disney-revisionists.html|url-status=live}}
• Sharlto Copley as Stefan, Aurora's ambitious and vengeful father and Maleficent's former childhood friend/lover, who cuts off the latter's wings to become the king.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2012/05/sharlto-copley-cast-maleficent-angelina-jolie-disney-266387/|title=Sharlto Copley In Talks To Join Angelina Jolie in Disney's 'Maleficent'|last=Patten|first=Dominic|date=May 3, 2012|work=Deadline Hollywood|accessdate=January 6, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230106205535/https://deadline.com/2012/05/sharlto-copley-cast-maleficent-angelina-jolie-disney-266387/|archive-date=January 6, 2023|url-status=live}}{{cite magazine|last=Hodgson|first=Claire|date=June 12, 2014|title=Angelina Jolie reveals Maleficent rape metaphor was intentional in attack scene|url=https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/entertainment/a27289/angelina-jolie-maleficent-rape-metaphor/|magazine=Cosmopolitan|access-date=April 19, 2024|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221209000135/https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/entertainment/a27289/angelina-jolie-maleficent-rape-metaphor/|archive-date=December 9, 2022}} Unlike his animated counterpart, this version of the character is portrayed in a more antagonistic light. Commenting on his character, Copley said that "it was an opportunity to play a character that was almost like a cautionary tale for men… To have a character like Stefan, who has what most men have, which is a desire to be ambitious, and driven, and the proverbial king of his castle. He literally becomes the king of his castle, but is prepared to sacrifice his true love to get there… It was an interesting character and opportunity to play that kind of male ego running away with itself."{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2014/05/26/sharlto-copleys-done-playing-villains-after-maleficent|title=Sharlto Copley's Done Playing Villains After Maleficent|last=Cornet|first=Roth|date=May 26, 2014|website=IGN|access-date=February 23, 2024|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112025152/https://www.ign.com/articles/2014/05/26/sharlto-copleys-done-playing-villains-after-maleficent|archive-date=November 12, 2020}}
• Michael Higgins as Young Stefan.{{cite news|url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/movies/movie-news/bellshill-schoolboy-wins-role-opposite-1329225|title=Bellshill schoolboy wins role opposite Hollywood star Angelina Jolie in new Disney film|date=September 18, 2012|work=Daily Record|access-date=June 15, 2023|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120918152509/http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/movies/movie-news/bellshill-schoolboy-wins-role-opposite-1329225|archive-date=September 18, 2012}}
• Jackson Bews as Teen Stefan.
• Lesley Manville, Imelda Staunton, and Juno Temple as Flittle, Knotgrass, and Thistlewit, a trio of incompetent and inept pixies whom Stefan charges with taking care of Aurora until her sixteenth birthday.{{cite news|title=Imelda Staunton, Miranda Richardson Joining Angelina Jolie in 'Maleficent' (Exclusive)|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/maleficent-angelina-jolie-imelda-staunton-miranda-richardson-320955|work=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=June 15, 2023|first=Borys|last=Kit|date=May 7, 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230430052548/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/maleficent-angelina-jolie-imelda-staunton-miranda-richardson-320955/|archive-date=April 30, 2023}}{{cite news|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/juno-temple-maleficent-326189/|title=Juno Temple Joins Angelina Jolie's 'Maleficent' (Exclusive)|access-date=June 15, 2023|work=The Hollywood Reporter|first=Borys|last=Kit|date=May 17, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230603221042/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/juno-temple-maleficent-326189/|archive-date=June 3, 2023|url-status=live}} These versions of the characters are markedly different from their animated counterparts (named Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather), with their role being reduced to comic relief.{{cite web|url=https://womenandhollywood.com/maleficent-writer-linda-woolverton-on-adapting-fairy-tales-for-a-new-generation-a85bb1d1478b/|title=Maleficent Writer Linda Woolverton on Adapting Fairy Tales for a New Generation|date=May 30, 2014|website=Women and Hollywood|access-date=February 23, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230731122058/https://womenandhollywood.com/maleficent-writer-linda-woolverton-on-adapting-fairy-tales-for-a-new-generation-a85bb1d1478b/|archive-date=July 31, 2023|url-status=live}} Commenting on her character, Manville said that Flittle is "incredibly proud of her special magical power that allows her to turn things blue. She can turn everything blue and she thinks everything should be blue as well."{{cite news|last=Powell|first=Emma|date=October 2, 2014|title=Imelda Staunton, Juno Temple, and Lesley Manville talk dressing up as fairies for Maleficent|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-news/imelda-staunton-juno-temple-and-lesley-manville-talk-dressing-up-as-fairies-for-maleficent-9768185.html|work=Evening Standard|access-date=June 15, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221013205853/https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-news/imelda-staunton-juno-temple-and-lesley-manville-talk-dressing-up-as-fairies-for-maleficent-9768185.html|archive-date=October 13, 2022|url-status=live}} Staunton described Knotgrass as "the most important pixie{{snd}}in her own head. Very bossy, very organized, has to control everything. There are three pixies and she is the self-appointed grown-up among them."{{sfn|Solomon|2014|page=140}} According to Temple, Thistlewit is "the youngest member and she is definitely more 'away with the fairies' than the other two. She's more distracted by nature. She wants to smell flowers and she wants to dance around, so she's a much younger free spirit."
• Sam Riley as Diaval, Maleficent's shape-shifting raven companion. Riley described his character as "Maleficent's loyal ally who can fly to places and spy for her. Their relationship blooms and Diaval develops an affection for her. He's the only character who's capable of telling her when she becomes a little overwrought and who really knows what she's thinking."{{cite web|url=https://www.wearemoviegeeks.com/2014/04/maleficent-behind-scenes-featurette-angelina-jolie/|title=MALEFICENT Behind-The-Scenes Featurette With Angelina Jolie|last=Hannett|first=Michelle|date=April 17, 2014|website=We Are Movie Geeks|access-date=June 15, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150922091009/http://www.wearemoviegeeks.com/2014/04/maleficent-behind-scenes-featurette-angelina-jolie/|archive-date=September 22, 2015|url-status=live}} Stromberg elaborated that Diaval is "the conscience in the ear of Maleficent at all times. He helps her down the path of finding out who she is. He comes at the lowest point in Maleficent's life and becomes, in addition to Aurora, the other character that really pulls Maleficent out of her dark hole."

The film also features Brenton Thwaites as Philip, a prince who befriends and falls in love with Aurora.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2012/05/disney-crowns-young-prince-in-maleficent-279688/|work=Deadline Hollywood|title=Disney Crowns Young Prince In 'Maleficent'|first=Mike Jr.|last=Fleming|date=May 30, 2012|access-date=May 30, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221023073554/https://deadline.com/2012/05/disney-crowns-young-prince-in-maleficent-279688/|archive-date=October 23, 2022|url-status=dead}}{{cite magazine|last=Kritselis|first=Alex|date=June 2, 2014|title='Maleficent' Shows That Women Are Heroes|url=https://www.bustle.com/articles/26560-like-frozen-disneys-maleficent-upends-ridiculous-damsel-in-distress-theme|magazine=Bustle|access-date=February 24, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111163902/https://www.bustle.com/articles/26560-like-frozen-disneys-maleficent-upends-ridiculous-damsel-in-distress-theme|archive-date=November 11, 2020|url-status=live}} Kenneth Cranham portrays King Henry, Stefan's predecessor and Leila's father, whose efforts to conquer the Moors get him slain by Maleficent.{{sfn|Solomon|2014|page=162}}{{cite AV media|title=Building An Epic Batlle|type=Documentary film|publisher=Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment|location=Maleficent (Blu-ray)|date=2014}} Hannah New portrays Princess Leila, King Henry's daughter, Stefan's wife, and Aurora's mother.{{cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/maleficent-disney-aurora-mom-leila-what-happened/|title=Maleficent: What Happened To Aurora's Mother|last=Fox|first=Caroline|date=October 4, 2020|website=Screen Rant|access-date=February 24, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230614223845/https://screenrant.com/maleficent-disney-aurora-mom-leila-what-happened/|archive-date=June 14, 2023|url-status=live}} New described her character as a "demure, untouchable princess."{{cite web|url=https://collider.com/hannah-new-black-sails-interview/|title=Hannah New Talks BLACK SAILS, Joining the Show, Playing the Woman in Charge, Getting the Season 2 Pick-Up, and Her Character's Relationships|last=Radish|first=Christina|date=March 18, 2014|website=Collider|access-date=June 15, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200108181149/https://collider.com/hannah-new-black-sails-interview/|archive-date=January 8, 2020|url-status=live}}

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|quote=It was about 2003, maybe, when we're sitting around one day, asking, "Who is a really strong and interesting female character we can base a movie on," and somebody said "Maleficent," but I can't point out exactly who it was. It made sense, because she was this really popular villainess who is glamorous and like a runway model. Still, she's been wounded somehow in the past. We thought we could do a Wicked thing with Maleficent and show her backstory. That was just the germ of the idea and it sat in animation for a while. We did some development and some drawings on it, but then it went pretty quickly over to live-action, where it sat.

|source=—Don Hahn, on developing the idea for Maleficent{{cite web|url=https://www.news4jax.com/entertainment/2016/03/30/disney-producer-inspired-by-studio-legend-in-making-of-maleficent/|title=Disney producer inspired by studio legend in making of 'Maleficent'|date=March 30, 2016|work=News4JAX|accessdate=December 19, 2022|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221219072850/https://www.news4jax.com/entertainment/2016/03/30/disney-producer-inspired-by-studio-legend-in-making-of-maleficent/|archive-date=December 19, 2022}}}}

The idea for Maleficent was conceived during Don Hahn's meeting with the Disney's animation department in 2003, where it was pitched as an animation project revolving around the origin of the eponymous antagonist from Walt Disney's animated film Sleeping Beauty (1959).{{cite news|last=Gaul|first=Lou|date=October 28, 2014|title=He's the man behind 'Maleficent'|url=https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/story/entertainment/movies/2014/10/28/he-s-man-behind-maleficent/17512299007/|work=Burlington County Times|access-date=February 20, 2024|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240220190600/https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/story/entertainment/movies/2014/10/28/he-s-man-behind-maleficent/17512299007/|archive-date=February 20, 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2014/11/immersed-in-movies-don-hahn-talks-the-link-between-maleficent-and-sleeping-beauty-123867/|title=Immersed in Movies: Don Hahn Talks the Link Between 'Maleficent' and 'Sleeping Beauty'|last=Desowitz|first=Bill|date=November 4, 2014|website=IndieWire|accessdate=December 19, 2022|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221219072854/https://www.indiewire.com/2014/11/immersed-in-movies-don-hahn-talks-the-link-between-maleficent-and-sleeping-beauty-123867/|archive-date=December 19, 2022}} The timing of the idea was inspired by the just-released Broadway musical Wicked. While opening the musical adaptation of Mary Poppins in the West End of London in December 2004, Hahn met with Tim Burton to pitch him several movie ideas for Disney, including Maleficent, which Burton was instantly interested in.{{sfn|Solomon|2014|page=111}}{{cite web|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/briangalindo/maleficent-took-over-10-years-to-hit-the-big-screen-and|title="Maleficent" Took Over 10 Years To Hit The Big Screen And Here's The Story Behind It|last1=Galindo|first1=Brian|last2=Zamora|first2=Christian|date=October 17, 2019|website=BuzzFeed|accessdate=December 19, 2022|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221219092043/https://www.buzzfeed.com/briangalindo/maleficent-took-over-10-years-to-hit-the-big-screen-and|archive-date=December 19, 2022}} Simultaneously, Sean Bailey (who was an independent producer at the time) began developing the same concept for a live-action feature, which he envisioned as a "Disney version of Michael Corleone in The Godfather. Have a character do something that's empirically terrible{{snd}}curse a child{{snd}}but set it up in such a way that you felt differently about it." Bailey wanted Angelina Jolie for the role of Maleficent and mentioned the idea during lunch with Jolie's manager, receiving a positive response within a few hours.{{sfn|Solomon|2014|page=111}} When Bailey presented his concept to the Disney executives, they told him about Hahn's project and suggested they team up.{{sfn|Solomon|2014|pages=111-112}} Jolie's interest in the title role prompted the filmmakers to consider moving Maleficent from animation to live-action, which they did after Disney acquired Pixar and reshuffled the animation department in 2006.{{sfn|Solomon|2014|page=112}} The project was eventually suspended due to Burton being busy working on Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street and Alice in Wonderland.{{sfn|Solomon|2014|page=112}}{{cite web|url=https://collider.com/don-hahn-maleficent-roger-rabbit-interview/|title=Executive Producer Don Hahn Talks MALEFICENT, Only Considering Angelina Jolie for the Role, Revamping Fairy Tales, WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT?, and More|last=Radish|first=Christina|date=November 4, 2014|work=Collider|accessdate=December 19, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221219060501/https://collider.com/don-hahn-maleficent-roger-rabbit-interview/|archive-date=December 19, 2022|url-status=live}}

By the summer of 2009, as Alice in Wonderland entered post-production, Burton renewed his interest in Maleficent.{{cite news|url=http://heatvision.hollywoodreporter.com/2010/03/disney-alice-scribe-team-for-film-about-sleeping-beautys-evil-queen-exclusive.html|title=Disney, 'Alice' scribe team for film about 'Sleeping Beauty's' evil queen (exclusive)|date=March 24, 2010|work=The Hollywood Reporter|accessdate=December 19, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100726164048/http://heatvision.hollywoodreporter.com/2010/03/disney-alice-scribe-team-for-film-about-sleeping-beautys-evil-queen-exclusive.html|archive-date=July 26, 2010}} Around the same time, Hahn approached Linda Woolverton (who had just collaborated with Burton on Alice) to write the script.{{cite web|url=https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/don-hahn-interview-maleficent-disney-animation-and-more/|title=Don Hahn interview: Maleficent, Disney, animation and more|last=Brew|first=Simon|date=May 23, 2014|work=Den of Geek|accessdate=December 19, 2022|quote=And I pitched it not to Brad [Bird], but to Tim Burton and [writer] Linda Woolverton at the same time. They were just finishing up on Alice In Wonderland.|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221219092051/https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/don-hahn-interview-maleficent-disney-animation-and-more/|archive-date=December 19, 2022}} Burton dismissed his involvement with the film as a rumor in February 2010, but the following month, The Guardian reported that he would helm the project, with The Hollywood Reporter confirming Woolverton as the film's writer.{{cite web|title=Exclusive Interview: Tim Burton Creates a Wonderland|url=http://www.fandango.com/commentator_exclusiveinterview:timburtoncreatesawonderland_319|access-date=June 30, 2023|website=Fandango|date=February 23, 2010|first=Elisa|last=Osegueda|archive-date=February 27, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100227042643/http://www.fandango.com/commentator_exclusiveinterview:timburtoncreatesawonderland_319|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|last=Brooks|first=Xan|title=Tim Burton's Sleeping Beauty: Angelina Jolie poised to play Maleficent|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/mar/29/tim-burton-angelina-jolie-sleeping-beauty|access-date=October 25, 2014|newspaper=The Guardian|date=March 29, 2010|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230607063006/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/mar/29/tim-burton-angelina-jolie-sleeping-beauty|archive-date=June 7, 2023}} At that point, Richard D. Zanuck also joined the production as a producer (until his death in 2012). After Woolverton boarded the project, the creative team (which included Woolverton, Burton, Hahn, and Zanuck) began developing the story, with several drafts made over the course of almost a year. In November 2010, Burton confirmed that he would direct Maleficent, but he had withdrawn by May 2011, due to his commitment to Dark Shadows.{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/2437985/tim-burton-dark-shadows-frankenweenie-maleficent-addams-family/|title=Tim Burton Talks 'Dark Shadows,' 'Frankenweenie,' 'Maleficent' And 'The Addams Family'!|publisher=MTV|date=November 23, 2010|access-date=July 13, 2023|last=Warner|first=Kara|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422200613/https://www.mtv.com/news/j4xvz0/tim-burton-dark-shadows-frankenweenie-maleficent-addams-family|archive-date=April 22, 2023}}{{cite news|last=Kit|first=Borys|title=Tim Burton Won't Direct Disney's 'Maleficent' (Exclusive)|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110518021811/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/tim-burton-wont-direct-disneys-188700|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/tim-burton-wont-direct-disneys-188700/|archive-date=May 18, 2011|access-date=May 30, 2014|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=May 6, 2011|url-status=live}} After Burton's departure, David Yates, Darren Aronofsky, and David O. Russell were considered to take over as director.{{cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/darren-aronofsky-maleficent-moses/|title=Darren Aronofsky Being Sought To Helm 'Maleficent' and 'Moses'|last=Schaefer|first=Sandy|date=May 21, 2011|work=Screen Rant|accessdate=December 19, 2022|archive-date=December 19, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221219092042/https://screenrant.com/darren-aronofsky-maleficent-moses/|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/david-o-russell-circling-disneys-201411/|title=David O. Russell Circling Disney's 'Maleficent'|last1=McClintock|first1=Pamela|last2=Kit|first2=Borys|date=June 14, 2011|work=The Hollywood Reporter|accessdate=December 19, 2022|archive-date=December 19, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221219092043/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/david-o-russell-circling-disneys-201411/|url-status=live}} Guillermo del Toro also expressed interest in directing Maleficent, citing the original 1959 animated film as one of his favorite Disney features.{{cite web|url=https://www.slashfilm.com/516219/guillermo-del-toro-direct-maleficent-disney-asked-time-allowed/|title=Guillermo Del Toro Would Direct 'Maleficent' If Disney Asked And Time Allowed|last=Fischer|first=Russ|date=June 20, 2011|work=/Film|accessdate=December 19, 2022|archive-date=December 19, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221219092046/https://www.slashfilm.com/516219/guillermo-del-toro-direct-maleficent-disney-asked-time-allowed/|url-status=live}} By September 2011, Joe Roth had joined the project as a producer, and in January 2012, Deadline Hollywood reported that Robert Stromberg (who had been the production designer on Alice in Wonderland) would helm Maleficent in his directorial debut.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2011/09/joe-roth-taking-producer-role-in-angelina-jolie-starrer-maleficent-for-disney-176392/|title=Joe Roth Taking Producer Role In Angelina Jolie-Starrer 'Maleficent' For Disney|last=Fleming|first=Mike Jr.|date=September 26, 2011|work=Deadline Hollywood|accessdate=December 19, 2022|archive-date=December 19, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221219092046/https://deadline.com/2011/09/joe-roth-taking-producer-role-in-angelina-jolie-starrer-maleficent-for-disney-176392/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2012/01/disney-sets-robert-stromberg-to-helm-maleficent-211061/|website=Deadline Hollywood|title=Disney Sets Robert Stromberg To Helm 'Maleficent'|first=Mike Jr.|last=Fleming|date=January 6, 2012|access-date=December 19, 2022|archive-date=June 18, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140618224008/http://www.deadline.com/2012/01/disney-sets-robert-stromberg-to-helm-maleficent/|url-status=live}} Palak Patel (the film's executive producer) said that after finishing Alice, Stromberg "really wanted to direct. We said, 'Okay, but we've got Oz the Great and Powerful and we need a production designer. Why don't you do Oz, then we'll make a movie.' In the middle of shooting [Oz], Maleficent came in."{{sfn|Solomon|2014|page=112}}

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|quote=After watching the [1959 animated] movie, I came up with some ideas that revealed more about [Maleficent's] character. I created a past for her that leads to the singular moment in which she curses the baby Aurora and then takes us past that moment from Maleficent's point of view through the ending of the film. But it's a reinvention; it's not just a retelling of the same story… The character really is fantastic and once we had Angelina Jolie, my task was to seamlessly meld the two into one to recreate a classic, but wholly unique Maleficent.

|source=—Linda Woolverton, on developing the story of Maleficent}}

Linda Woolverton's screenplay went through at least 15 versions as the film progressed in production.{{cite news|url=https://www.interviewmagazine.com/film/linda-woolverton-maleficent|title=Linda Woolverton and the Making of Maleficent|last=Brown|first=Emma|date=June 2, 2014|work=Interview|accessdate=December 19, 2022|archive-date=July 6, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150706043341/http://www.interviewmagazine.com/film/linda-woolverton-maleficent|url-status=live}} Stromberg said: "I met many times with Linda Woolverton, the writer. We did lots of roundtable discussions and sort of cut out the fat as much as we could and sort of purified the storyline as much as we could".{{cite web| last1=Kaye| first1=Don| title=Maleficent director Robert Stromberg talks bringing Sleeping Beauty to Life| url=http://www.denofgeek.us/movies/maleficent/236007/maleficent-director-robert-stromberg-talks-bringing-sleeping-beauty-to-life| website=Den of Geek| date=June 2, 2014| access-date=June 7, 2014| archive-date=September 23, 2015| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923223136/http://www.denofgeek.us/movies/maleficent/236007/maleficent-director-robert-stromberg-talks-bringing-sleeping-beauty-to-life| url-status=live}} Paul Dini also performed rewrites on the project with Stromberg,{{Cite web|url = https://scriptpdf.com/maleficent-script-pdf/|title = Maleficent Script PDF|date = August 11, 2021|access-date = December 25, 2021|archive-date = December 25, 2021|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211225010546/https://scriptpdf.com/maleficent-script-pdf/|url-status = live}} and was credited in early press.{{Cite web|url=https://archive.nerdist.com/dont-be-afraid-of-disneys-maleficent-trailer/|title=Don't be Afraid of Disney's MALEFICENT Trailer — Nerdist|access-date=December 25, 2021|archive-date=December 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211225010550/https://archive.nerdist.com/dont-be-afraid-of-disneys-maleficent-trailer/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url = https://www.cbr.com/angelina-jolie-mystifies-in-new-maleficent-trailer/|title = Angelina Jolie Mystifies in New 'Maleficent' Trailer|date = January 21, 2014|access-date = December 25, 2021|archive-date = May 31, 2022|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220531190033/https://www.cbr.com/angelina-jolie-mystifies-in-new-maleficent-trailer/|url-status = live}} In some earlier versions of the story, Stefan was the half-human, half-fairy bastard son of King Henry. The version of the screenplay that went into shooting originally included two characters called Queen Ulla and King Kinloch, the fairy queen and fairy king of the Moors and the aunt and uncle of Maleficent. Miranda Richardson and Peter Capaldi were cast and shot the Queen Ulla and King Kinloch scenes, but their roles were cut in the editing process together with more than 15 minutes of the first act of the film. Stromberg said, "We spent a bit more time originally in the fairy world before we got into the human side of things ... we wanted to get it [the film] under two hours. So we cut about 15 minutes out of the first act, and then that had to be seamed together with some pretty basic reshoots."{{cite web| last=Bibbiani| first=William| title=Maleficent: Director Robert Stromberg on True Love and Reshoots| url=http://www.craveonline.com/film/interviews/695289-maleficent-director-robert-stromberg-on-true-love-and-reshoots| publisher=CraveOnline.com| access-date=May 30, 2014| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140602060843/http://www.craveonline.com/film/interviews/695289-maleficent-director-robert-stromberg-on-true-love-and-reshoots| archive-date=June 2, 2014| url-status=dead}}

Stromberg later claimed in an interview that he employed an "age-old" emotional storytelling for the film and called it "the biggest thrill" against all technology advances. "And the way we play with that is we have somebody who's perhaps in love but betrayed and doesn't believe that true love exists. So the moral to it is we can all feel dark ourselves but not to lose hope because there is light in places where we might not be expecting", he explained.

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|quote=It's one of those rare movies where there wasn't a list. It was just about [Angelina Jolie], and she came on really early on. The first person I pitched it to, as a director, was Tim Burton. Even then, she was circling the project. Tim had worked with Linda Woolverton, so we brought her in, as a writer. Eventually, he had some scheduling problems and had to go off and do Sweeney Todd, but [Jolie] was always circling it. She loves this character, and this character has a lot of layers to it. There's a facade that this character puts up, that seems very in control, manipulative and able to deal with anything, but as you peel back the layers, you see that beneath that facade is a lot of hurt, anger and vulnerability. The way she plays it, as an actress, is brilliant 'cause she only shows you those cards when you need to see them.

|source=—Don Hahn, on casting Angelina Jolie as Maleficent}}

Angelina Jolie was the first and only choice for the role of Maleficent. According to Don Hahn, they "never made a list of other choices because she seemed like she understood the flesh and blood of the character and could play the nuance." Both Sean Bailey and Joe Roth further stated that the film would not have been made if Jolie had refused.{{sfn|Solomon|2014|page=127}}{{cite magazine|last=Corliss|first=Richard|date=June 2, 2014|title=Mighty Maleficent: Why Angelina Jolie Is the World's Highest-Paid Actress|url=https://time.com/2812017/maleficent-angelina-jolie-best-paid/|magazine=Time|access-date=July 27, 2024|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240602205006/https://time.com/2812017/maleficent-angelina-jolie-best-paid/|archive-date=June 2, 2024}} Jolie entered negotiations by March 2010, and signed on for the role in late January 2012, which she personally confirmed during the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival the following month.{{sfn|Solomon|2014|pages=111-112}}{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/blogs/24-frames/story/2010-03-26/will-angelina-jolie-wake-sleeping-beauty|title=Will Angelina Jolie wake Sleeping Beauty?|last=Zeitchik|first=Steven|date=March 26, 2010|work=Los Angeles Times|accessdate=February 21, 2024|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230606232447/https://www.latimes.com/archives/blogs/24-frames/story/2010-03-26/will-angelina-jolie-wake-sleeping-beauty|archive-date=June 6, 2023}} She was also hired as the film's executive producer.{{cite magazine|last=Breznican|first=Anthony|date=June 19, 2012|title=Angelina Jolie as 'Maleficent'|url=https://ew.com/article/2012/06/19/first-look-maleficent/|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=February 25, 2024|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230528035942/https://ew.com/article/2012/06/19/first-look-maleficent/|archive-date=May 28, 2023}} Jolie was initially unsure of making a film about "somebody who curses a baby", but was still interested in the idea because of her fascination with the character of Maleficent as a child, and ended up being "very moved" by the script.{{cite AV media|title=From Fairy Tale to Feature Film|type=Documentary film|publisher=Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment|location=Maleficent (Blu-ray)|date=2014}} Her decision to accept the role was also influenced by the persuasions of her children and brother.{{cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/blogs/movie-talk/angelina-jolie-reveals-why-daughter-vivienne-made-maleficent-195635258.html|title=Angelina Jolie Reveals How Daughter Vivienne Made Her Way Into 'Maleficent'|date=August 10, 2013|work=Yahoo!|accessdate=December 19, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221219060502/https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/blogs/movie-talk/angelina-jolie-reveals-why-daughter-vivienne-made-maleficent-195635258.html|archive-date=December 19, 2022|url-status=live}} Jolie earned about $33 million for her role, which made her the highest-paid actress of 2013.{{cite magazine|last=Pomerantz|first=Dorothy|date=July 30, 2013|title=Angelina Jolie Tops Our List Of Hollywood's Highest-Paid Actresses|url=https://time.com/2812017/maleficent-angelina-jolie-best-paid/|magazine=Forbes|access-date=July 27, 2024|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240115182157/https://www.forbes.com/sites/dorothypomerantz/2013/07/29/angelina-jolie-tops-our-list-of-hollywoods-highest-paid-actresses/|archive-date=January 15, 2024}}

In March 2012, Elle Fanning was reported to be in talks for the role of Aurora. She was the only choice of the filmmakers after they saw her performance as Alice Dainard in Super 8 (2011).{{cite AV media|title=Aurora: Becoming a Beauty|type=Documentary film|publisher=Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment|location=Maleficent (Blu-ray)|date=2014}} Roth said that he brought Fanning to the studio "literally the next day, told her all about the project, told her about [Angelina Jolie], and she said 'I'm in'." Later that month, Jim Sturgess and Gael García Bernal were reported to be trying out for the role of Diaval, with Jude Law (who had co-starred with Jolie in Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow) in negotiations to play Stefan.{{cite news|url=https://www.contactmusic.com/jim-sturgess/news/sturgess-bernal-up-for-jolies-lover-in-sleeping-beauty-film_1310652|title=Sturgess & Bernal Up For Jolie's Lover In Sleeping Beauty Film|agency=World Entertainment News Network|publisher=Contactmusic.com|date=March 28, 2012|access-date=July 19, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201128144214/https://www.contactmusic.com/jim-sturgess/news/sturgess-bernal-up-for-jolies-lover-in-sleeping-beauty-film_1310652|archive-date=November 28, 2020|url-status=live}} Sharlto Copley was eventually cast as Stefan by May 2012, and a few days later, The Hollywood Reporter announced the casting of Imelda Staunton as Knotgrass, Kenneth Cranham as King Henry, Sam Riley as Diaval, Lesley Manville as Flittle, and Miranda Richardson as Queen Ulla (whose role was deleted from the final cut). On the same day, Variety reported that India Eisley would play the teenage version of Maleficent, and later that month, Juno Temple and Brenton Thwaites were cast as Thistlewit and Prince Philip.{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/2012/film/news/eisley-to-play-a-younger-jolie-in-maleficent-1118053634/|title=Eisley to play a younger Jolie in 'Maleficent'|last=Sneider|first=Jeff|date=May 7, 2012|work=Variety|accessdate=December 19, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221219070155/https://variety.com/2012/film/news/eisley-to-play-a-younger-jolie-in-maleficent-1118053634/|archive-date=December 19, 2022|url-status=live}} Anya Taylor-Joy later revealed that she also auditioned for the role of teenage Maleficent.{{cite web|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/noradominick/anya-taylor-joy-first-times-emma|title=Anya Taylor-Joy Shared Her First Times, Including The Story Behind Her First On-Screen Kiss With James McAvoy|last1=Dominick|first1=Nora|last2=Rhorer|first2=Hal|date=March 6, 2020|work=BuzzFeed|accessdate=July 26, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231129193100/https://www.buzzfeed.com/noradominick/anya-taylor-joy-first-times-emma|archive-date=November 29, 2023|url-status=live}}

In August 2012, Vivienne Jolie-Pitt (Jolie's real-life daughter with Brad Pitt) was announced to play 5-year-old Aurora.{{cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/blogs/movie-talk/vivienne-jolie-pitt-play-opposite-angelina-maleficient-203419912.html|last=Pockross|first=Adam|title=Vivienne Jolie-Pitt to play opposite Angelina in 'Maleficent'|date=August 23, 2012|work=Yahoo!|accessdate=June 13, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221202205247/https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/blogs/movie-talk/vivienne-jolie-pitt-play-opposite-angelina-maleficient-203419912.html|archive-date=December 2, 2022|url-status=live}} She was cast due to being the only child on the set who was not scared of Jolie in her full Maleficent costume. Jolie initially offered the role to her other daughter, Shiloh, but she refused.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.elle.com/fashion/news/a14912/angelina-jolie-june-cover/|title=Worldwide Exclusive: Angelina Jolie Opens Up|date=May 7, 2014|magazine=Elle|accessdate=June 13, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230417070508/https://www.elle.com/fashion/news/a14912/angelina-jolie-june-cover/|archive-date=April 17, 2023|url-status=live}} Two other children of Jolie, Pax and Zahara, ended up appearing as extras in the christening scene. Toby Regbo was originally cast as the teenage version of Stefan, but after the filmmakers decided that they needed a younger performer, he was replaced by Michael Higgins.{{cite web|date=April 5, 2018|title=Exclusive Interview with Toby Regbo about 'U Want Me 2 Kill Him?'|url=https://theultimaterabbit.com/2018/04/05/exclusive-interview-with-toby-regbo-about-u-want-me-2-kill-him/|website=The Ultimate Rabbit|access-date=June 15, 2023|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207085358/https://theultimaterabbit.com/2018/04/05/exclusive-interview-with-toby-regbo-about-u-want-me-2-kill-him/|archive-date=February 7, 2023|quote=I worked two weeks on that and there was some studio nonsense. Basically they wanted the character that I was playing to be younger, much younger. We were doing this prologue to the film and they wanted 10 rather than 16, but they waited two weeks into filming before making that decision.}} By November 2012, Eleanor Worthington Cox and Isobelle Molloy were confirmed to play younger versions of Aurora and Maleficent, respectively. Molloy was brought to the attention of the filmmakers by the casting director, who saw her performance as the title character in the West End production of Matilda the Musical, and ended up doing three auditions (including a screen test) before she was cast.{{cite news|last=Golding|first=Lucy|date=May 30, 2014|title=Redroofs Theatre School pupil stars in Disney blockbuster with Angelina Jolie|url=https://www.maidenhead-advertiser.co.uk/news/24044/Redroofs-Theatre-School-pupil-stars-in.html|work=Maidenhead Advertiser|access-date=June 15, 2023|archive-date=August 15, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220815043556/https://www.maidenhead-advertiser.co.uk/news/24044/Redroofs-Theatre-School-pupil-stars-in.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web|last=Breitbart|first=Benji|url=https://www.laughingplace.com/w/articles/2014/11/03/interview-with-maleficents-isobelle-molloy/|title=Interview with Maleficent's Isobelle Molloy|date=November 3, 2014|website=Laughing Place|access-date=June 15, 2023|quote=|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150111213850/http://www.laughingplace.com/w/articles/2014/11/03/interview-with-maleficents-isobelle-molloy|archive-date=January 11, 2015}} By October 2013, when it was decided to reshoot the film's prologue, Ella Purnell (who originally auditioned for the role of Aurora) replaced Eisley as teenage Maleficent.{{cite news|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/ella-purnell-replaces-india-eisley-in-maleficent-113102000051_1.html|title=Ella Purnell replaces India Eisley in 'Maleficent'|date=October 20, 2013|work=Business Standard|accessdate=December 19, 2022|agency=Press Trust of India|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221219071656/https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/ella-purnell-replaces-india-eisley-in-maleficent-113102000051_1.html|archive-date=December 19, 2022|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.thewrap.com/kick-ass-2-actress-play-younger-version-angelina-jolie-maleficent/|title='Kick-Ass 2' Actress to Play Younger Version of Angelina Jolie in 'Maleficent'|last=Sneider|first=Jeff|date=October 17, 2013|work=TheWrap|access-date=January 2, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230102161133/https://www.thewrap.com/kick-ass-2-actress-play-younger-version-angelina-jolie-maleficent/|archive-date=January 2, 2023|url-status=live}} Purnell's casting was personally approved by Jolie, although they never met in person during the film's production.{{cite news|url=https://www.crash.fr/interview-with-ella-purnell/|title=INTERVIEW WITH ELLA PURNELL|work=Crash Magazine|access-date=January 2, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230102153945/https://www.crash.fr/interview-with-ella-purnell/|archive-date=January 2, 2023|url-status=live}}

Principal photography began on June 13, 2012, at Pinewood Studios.{{cite web| url=http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/first-look-at-angelina-jolie-as-maleficent-disney-kicks-off-production| title=First Look at Angelina Jolie as 'Maleficent'; Disney Kicks Off Production| last=Savage| first=Sophia| date=June 19, 2012| work=Indiewire| access-date=January 27, 2016| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160203093152/http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/first-look-at-angelina-jolie-as-maleficent-disney-kicks-off-production| archive-date=February 3, 2016| url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|last=Ravitz|first=Justin|date=2012-06-19|title=FIRST PIC: See Angelina Jolie as Maleficent!|url=https://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/first-pic-see-angelina-jolie-as-maleficent-2012196/|access-date=2022-09-16|website=Us Magazine|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220916031010/https://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/first-pic-see-angelina-jolie-as-maleficent-2012196/|archive-date=September 16, 2022|language=en}} Some filming took place in the Buckinghamshire countryside near Turville.{{Cite web|last=Ramsdale|first=Suzannah|date=2012-06-21|title=First pics of Angelina Jolie filming Maleficent in Buckinghamshire|url=https://www.marieclaire.co.uk/news/celebrity-news/first-pics-of-angelina-jolie-filming-maleficent-in-buckinghamshire-147789|access-date=2021-02-11|website=Marie Claire|language=en|archive-date=June 7, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210607080111/https://www.marieclaire.co.uk/news/celebrity-news/first-pics-of-angelina-jolie-filming-maleficent-in-buckinghamshire-147789|url-status=live}}

File:FIDM Museum - Film costumes - Maleficent (16289469900).jpg in 2016.]]

Anna B. Sheppard was in charge of designing costumes for the film.{{cite news|last=Atkinson|first=Nathalie|date=May 31, 2014|title=Magnificent Maleficent: High fashion costume design for Angelina Jolie in Disney's dark new film|url=https://nationalpost.com/entertainment/movies/magnificent-maleficent-high-fashion-costume-design-for-angelina-jolie-in-disneys-dark-new-film|work=National Post|access-date=July 22, 2023}} She was hired late in pre-production and had about eight weeks before filming began to create all the costumes from scratch, which she described as "a lot of pain, a lot of work, a lot of indecision".{{cite news|last=Harris|first=Rachel Lee|date=February 17, 2015|title=Clothes and Character: 'Maleficent'|url=https://archive.nytimes.com/carpetbagger.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/02/17/clothes-and-character-maleficent/|work=The New York Times|access-date=July 22, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231204165545/https://archive.nytimes.com/carpetbagger.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/02/17/clothes-and-character-maleficent/|archive-date=December 4, 2023|url-status=live}} Sheppard and her team drew inspiration for the designs from French and Italian art of the Renaissance period (including paintings, sketches, and sculptures), creating more than two thousand costumes by hand.{{cite magazine|date=May 28, 2014|title=Dressing Maleficent|url=https://www.elle.com/uk/fashion/celebrity-style/articles/a492/elle-interview-s-maleficent-costume-designer-anna-sheppard-about-dressing-angelina-jolie/|magazine=Elle|access-date=July 22, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240424005156/https://www.elle.com/uk/fashion/celebrity-style/articles/a492/elle-interview-s-maleficent-costume-designer-anna-sheppard-about-dressing-angelina-jolie/|archive-date=April 24, 2024|url-status=live}}

For the character of Maleficent, a separate group within the costume department (named Team Maleficent) was formed to focus solely on her outfits.

For Aurora's costumes, Sheppard wanted to move away from the "hourglass silhouettes" of the character's animated counterpart in favor of more "innocent and closer to nature" designs, which she felt would be both more natural and age-appropriate for Elle Fanning (who was fourteen at the time of filming).{{cite magazine|last=Miller|first=Julie|date=June 2, 2014|title=Maleficent's Costume Designer on De-Sexualizing Elle Fanning's Disney Princess|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2014/06/maleficent-costume-design-elle-fanning|magazine=Vanity Fair|access-date=July 28, 2024|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230607094709/https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2014/06/maleficent-costume-design-elle-fanning|archive-date=June 7, 2023}}{{cite news|last=Denley|first=Susan|date=June 4, 2014|title=For 'Maleficent,' Elle Fanning's look was 'really girly and innocent'|url=https://www.latimes.com/fashion/alltherage/la-ar-elle-fanning-maleficent-20140603-story.html|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=July 28, 2024|url-access=limited|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150715041021/http://www.latimes.com/fashion/alltherage/la-ar-elle-fanning-maleficent-20140603-story.html|archive-date=July 15, 2015}}

John Lee Hancock assisted Stromberg with reshoots for the film. Hancock, who had just finished overseeing the final postproduction stages of Saving Mr. Banks, was approached by producer Joe Roth, with whom he had worked on Snow White and the Huntsman. Roth said: "He's not directing. He wrote pages, and I hired a first-time director, and it's good to have him on set." Roth was asked why a "film of this magnitude was entrusted to a novice director", and he noted that Stromberg won Academy Awards for production design on Avatar and Alice in Wonderland. Roth said: "The movie is gorgeous to look at, and the last 75 minutes are really entertaining. The issue was the opening, which was reshot over eight days."{{cite news| last1=Kit| first1=Borys| title=Disney's 'Maleficent' Enlists John Lee Hancock for Reshoots (Exclusive)| url=https://hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/disneys-maleficent-enlists-john-lee-646402| access-date=January 27, 2014| newspaper=The Hollywood Reporter| date=October 10, 2013| first2=Kim| last2=Masters| archive-date=November 12, 2020| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112030838/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/disneys-maleficent-enlists-john-lee-646402| url-status=live}}

As a previous production designer, Stromberg sought to balance the use of practical and computer-generated effects. For example, while Maleficent's horns and facial prosthetics were created by makeup artist Rick Baker, Digital Domain took facial capture of Imelda Staunton, Lesley Manville, and Juno Temple for the three pixies to be generated with high authenticity with the help of special rigging by Disney Research in Zurich. For the visuals, Stromberg wanted to make it "a bit more grounded" and "not too surreal" because it could be distracting from the simplicity of the story. He also regretted not employing bigger sets and allowing actors to work in a more tangible environment, on "real sets with real lights".

{{main|Maleficent (soundtrack)}}

James Newton Howard was hired to score the film in October 2012. The film marked Howard's first live-action Disney film score, as he had previously scored three films from Walt Disney Animation Studios which include Dinosaur (2000), Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001) and Treasure Planet (2002).{{cite news| title=James Newton Howard to Score Disney's 'Maleficent'| url=http://filmmusicreporter.com/2012/10/26/james-newton-howard-to-score-disneys-maleficent/| newspaper=Film Music Reporter| access-date=October 26, 2012| archive-date=October 29, 2012| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121029041416/http://filmmusicreporter.com/2012/10/26/james-newton-howard-to-score-disneys-maleficent/| url-status=live}} On January 23, 2014, recording artist Lana Del Rey was announced as covering the song "Once Upon a Dream", from the 1959 film Sleeping Beauty, as the title song for Maleficent. The song "Once Upon a Dream" is based on the Grand Waltz from ballet Sleeping Beauty written by Russian composer Tchaikovsky.{{cite web| title=Lana Del Rey to release new song after the Grammys| url=https://www.nme.com/news/lana-del-rey/75105| work=NME| access-date=January 26, 2014| date=January 26, 2014| archive-date=March 3, 2016| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303202731/http://www.nme.com/news/lana-del-rey/75105| url-status=live}}{{cite news| last=McIntyre| first=Gina| url=http://herocomplex.latimes.com/movies/maleficent-lana-del-rey-croons-once-upon-a-dream-in-grammys-spot/#/0| title='Maleficent': Lana Del Rey croons 'Once Upon a Dream' in Grammys spot| access-date=January 27, 2014| newspaper=Los Angeles Times| date=January 26, 2014| archive-date=February 5, 2014| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140205022457/http://herocomplex.latimes.com/movies/maleficent-lana-del-rey-croons-once-upon-a-dream-in-grammys-spot/#/0| url-status=live}} The single was released on January 26, 2014, during the 56th Grammy Awards and was made available for free for a limited time through Google Play.{{cite news| last=Graser| first=Marc| title=Disney's Maleficent Takes Advantage of Grammys With Lana Del Rey Song| url=https://variety.com/2014/film/news/disneys-maleficent-takes-advantage-of-grammys-with-lana-del-rey-song-1201072083/| access-date=January 27, 2014| newspaper=Variety| date=January 26, 2014| archive-date=January 23, 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210123185056/https://variety.com/2014/film/news/disney-maleficent-lana-del-rey-song-angelina-jolie-grammys-1201072083/| url-status=live}}{{cite news| last=Mendelson| first=Scott| title=Lana Del Rey Covers "Once Upon A Dream" For Angelina Jolie's 'Maleficent'| url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2014/01/26/lana-del-ray-covers-once-upon-a-dream-in-new-trailer-for-angelina-jolies-malificent| access-date=January 27, 2014| newspaper=Forbes| date=January 26, 2014| archive-date=November 12, 2020| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112020640/https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2014/01/26/lana-del-ray-covers-once-upon-a-dream-in-new-trailer-for-angelina-jolies-malificent/| url-status=live}} The soundtrack album, featuring Howard's score and Del Rey's cover of "Once Upon a Dream" was released on May 26, 2014, by Walt Disney Records.{{Cite web |title='Maleficent' Soundtrack Details |url=http://filmmusicreporter.com/2014/05/05/maleficent-soundtrack-details/ |access-date=2022-08-03 |website=Film Music Reporter |language=en-US |archive-date=May 13, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140513025525/http://filmmusicreporter.com/2014/05/05/maleficent-soundtrack-details/ |url-status=live }}

On August 10, 2013, as part of the live-action motion-picture panel of the 2013 Disney D23 Expo in the Anaheim Convention Center at Anaheim, California, Disney unveiled its first look of Maleficent by revealing the new logo of the film's title and a one-minute clip from the film. Angelina Jolie made a surprise visit to the expo and talked with the attendees about her fascination with Disney's Sleeping Beauty as a child, her working experience with the filmmakers on the film, and her love of Disney. She also remarked on how she scared little girls when she was in costume, makeup, and acting during shooting; this led to the decision to hire her own daughter, Vivienne Jolie-Pitt, for the role of the young Princess Aurora since she would not be scared of her during principal photography.{{cite news |last=McIntyre |first=Gina |date=August 10, 2013 |title=Angelina Jolie arrives in Anaheim to unveil 'Maleficent' at D23 |work=Los Angeles Times |url=http://herocomplex.latimes.com/movies/angelina-jolie-arrives-in-anaheim-to-unveil-maleficent-at-d23/#/0 |access-date=November 12, 2013 |archive-date=November 15, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131115190605/http://herocomplex.latimes.com/movies/angelina-jolie-arrives-in-anaheim-to-unveil-maleficent-at-d23/#/0 |url-status=live }}

Walt Disney Pictures released the teaser poster for Maleficent on November 12, 2013, featuring Jolie in costume and makeup, akin to the character's depiction in the original film.{{cite magazine |date=November 12, 2013 |title=Angelina Jolie is magnificent as Maleficent |url=http://insidemovies.ew.com/2013/11/12/angelina-jolie-malificent-poster |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |access-date=November 12, 2013}}{{cite news |last=Lewis |first=Hilary |date=November 12, 2014 |title=Angelina Jolie Bewitches in First 'Maleficent' Poster |newspaper=The Hollywood Reporter |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/first-maleficent-poster-angelina-jolie-655276 |access-date=January 27, 2014 |archive-date=September 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200929081529/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/first-maleficent-poster-angelina-jolie-655276 |url-status=live }} The first trailer was released the following day, on November 13. The first teaser trailer was attached to Thor: The Dark World, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Frozen, and Vampire Academy: Blood Sisters.{{cite news |last=Labrecque |first=Jeff |date=November 13, 2013 |title='Maleficent' trailer: There's more than horns and thorns to Angelina Jolie's villain |newspaper=Entertainment Weekly |url=http://insidemovies.ew.com/2013/11/13/maleficent-trailer-angelina-jolie/ |access-date=January 27, 2014 |archive-date=November 30, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141130210441/http://insidemovies.ew.com/2013/11/13/maleficent-trailer-angelina-jolie/ |url-status=live }} Two more trailers were released in January 2014, revealing Maleficent's appearance. A third trailer featured Lana Del Rey singing "Once Upon a Dream".{{cite news |date=November 13, 2013 |title=First Trailer: 'Maleficent' |newspaper=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2013/film/news/first-trailer-maleficent-1200826291 |access-date=January 27, 2014 |archive-date=December 25, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141225142920/http://variety.com/2013/film/news/first-trailer-maleficent-1200826291/ |url-status=live }} The final trailer was released on March 18, 2014.{{cite news |title='Maleficent' New Full Trailer |url=http://www.accesshollywood.com/maleficent-new-full-trailer_video_2070337 |access-date=March 18, 2014 |archive-date=March 22, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140322045137/http://www.accesshollywood.com/maleficent-new-full-trailer_video_2070337/ |url-status=live }}

Starting April 18, 2014, Disney's Hollywood Studios and Disney California Adventure previewed the film inside the ABC Sound Studio and It's Tough to Be a Bug! theaters, respectively.{{cite web |last=Fickley-Baker |first=Jennifer |date=March 18, 2014 |title='Maleficent' Sneak Peek Coming to Disney Parks April 18 |url=http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2014/03/maleficent-sneak-peek-coming-to-disney-parks-april-18/ |access-date=April 15, 2014 |publisher=DisneyParks Blog |archive-date=November 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111221642/https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2014/03/maleficent-sneak-peek-coming-to-disney-parks-april-18/ |url-status=dead }} A tie-in novelization of the film written by Elizabeth Rudnick was published by Disney Publishing Worldwide on April 29, 2014.{{Cite web |title=Maleficent |url=https://books.disney.com/book/maleficent-2/ |access-date=December 24, 2020 |website=Disney Books |archive-date=August 19, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819100322/https://books.disney.com/book/maleficent-2/ |url-status=dead }} Disney Infinity 2.0 featured Maleficent as a playable figure using the look from the film.

Maleficent was originally scheduled for a March 14, 2014 release, before it was changed to July 2, 2014.{{cite web|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a375583/angelina-jolies-maleficent-given-march-2014-release-date/|title=Angelina Jolie's 'Maleficent' given March 2014 release date|last=Goodacre|first=Kate|date=April 10, 2012|website=Digital Spy|access-date=September 25, 2022|archive-date=September 25, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220925221417/https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a375583/angelina-jolies-maleficent-given-march-2014-release-date/|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/maleficent-release-moved-to-summer-2014/|title="Maleficent" release moved to summer 2014|last=Derschowitz|first=Jessica|date=January 15, 2013|work=CBS News|access-date=September 25, 2022|archive-date=September 25, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220925221417/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/maleficent-release-moved-to-summer-2014/|url-status=live}} By September 2013, the film's release date was preponed to May 30, 2014, as Pixar's The Good Dinosaur faced production issues and was delayed to 2015.{{cite news|last=Patten|first=Dominic|url=https://deadline.com/2013/09/disney-shifts-maleficent-good-dinosaur-release-dates-590158/|title=Disney Shifts 'Maleficent', 'Good Dinosaur' & 'Finding Dory' Release Dates|work=Deadline Hollywood|date=September 18, 2013|access-date=February 14, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230130204205/https://deadline.com/2013/09/disney-shifts-maleficent-good-dinosaur-release-dates-590158/|archive-date=January 30, 2023|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://movieweb.com/disney-shifts-the-release-dates-of-maleficent-the-good-dinosaur-and-finding-dory/|title=Disney Shifts the Release Dates of Maleficent, The Good Dinosaur and Finding Dory|last=Gallagher|first=Brian|date=September 18, 2013|website=MovieWeb|access-date=February 14, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211017071336/https://movieweb.com/disney-shifts-the-release-dates-of-maleficent-the-good-dinosaur-and-finding-dory/|archive-date=October 17, 2021|url-status=live}} A private exhibition of props and costumes from the film was held at Kensington Palace in London on May 8, 2014, serving as a fundraiser for Great Ormond Street Hospital.{{cite web|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/showbiz/fashion-and-beauty/a569795/angelina-jolie-brad-pitt-add-hollywood-glamour-to-maleficent-event/|title=Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt add Hollywood glamour to Maleficent event|last=Gordon|first=Naomi|date=May 9, 2014|website=Digital Spy|access-date=February 14, 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.thewrap.com/party-report-pictures-3/|title=Party Report in Pictures: Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Bryan Cranston, Kate Hudson, and President Obama (Photos)|last=Glazer|first=Mikey|date=May 9, 2014|website=TheWrap|access-date=February 14, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230129093601/https://www.thewrap.com/party-report-pictures-3/|archive-date=January 29, 2023|url-status=live}} The world premiere of Maleficent took place at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood on May 28, 2014.{{cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/maleficent-premieres-in-hollywood/|title="Maleficent" arrives in Hollywood|date=May 29, 2014|work=CBS News|access-date=February 14, 2024|archive-date=August 14, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140814172632/http://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/maleficent-premieres-in-hollywood/|url-status=live}}

On November 22, 2018, a one-time special screening of the film was held in Sofia, Bulgaria at New Bulgarian University, where Bulgarian actor Peter Baykov does the dubbing for every character in the film by changing his voice from male to female live. He later performs part of the film trailer live during the semi-finals on the Got Talent show in Bulgaria in 2019 which leads him to the season finale.{{Cite news|title=Peter Baykov dubs dozens of film characters in Maleficent.|url=https://bnr.bg/en/post/101221115/sdsdsds|access-date=December 9, 2020|archive-date=April 3, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220403080441/https://bnr.bg/en/post/101221115/sdsdsds|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|title=Maleficent dubbed by actor Peter Baykov|url=https://news.nbu.bg/bg/events/prozhekciq-na-filma-gospodarka-na-zloto-s-glasa-na-petyr-bajkov!31248|access-date=December 9, 2020|archive-date=March 31, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220331132813/https://news.nbu.bg/bg/events/prozhekciq-na-filma-gospodarka-na-zloto-s-glasa-na-petyr-bajkov!31248|url-status=live}} He would later be cast as Prince Philip in the Bulgarian dub of the sequel, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil.{{Cite web|title=Peter Baykov, IMDb|website=IMDb|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm11966725/|access-date=December 9, 2020|archive-date=January 23, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210123185123/https://www.imdb.com/name/nm11966725/|url-status=live}}

In September 2020, the film returned to cinemas in the United Kingdom following their reopening from closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Maleficent earned a gross of $241.4 million in the US and Canada, and $517.1 million in other countries, for a worldwide total of $758.5 million against a budget of $180 million. Calculating in all expenses, Deadline Hollywood estimated that the film made a profit of $190.77 million, making it the sixth most profitable film of 2014.{{cite journal| url=https://deadline.com/2015/03/maleficent-profit-box-office-2014-1201391209/| title=No. 6 'Maleficent' – 2014 Most Valuable Blockbuster Movie Tournament| first=Mike Jr.| last=Fleming| journal=Deadline Hollywood| date=March 12, 2015| access-date=March 13, 2015| archive-date=March 14, 2015| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150314181607/https://deadline.com/2015/03/maleficent-profit-box-office-2014-1201391209/| url-status=live}} Worldwide, in its opening weekend, the film earned $175.5 million, $9 million of which were from IMAX locations.{{cite news| title=GLOBAL: 'Maleficent' Edges Out X-Men for Box Office Crown with $100.6M Day-and-Date Debut Overseas |url=http://www.boxoffice.com/news/2014-06-01-global-maleficent-edges-out-x-men-for-box-office-crown-with-1006m-day-and-date-debut-overseas |access-date=June 2, 2014 |work=Boxoffice |date=June 1, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140602200240/http://www.boxoffice.com/news/2014-06-01-global-maleficent-edges-out-x-men-for-box-office-crown-with-1006m-day-and-date-debut-overseas |archive-date=June 2, 2014 }} It is also the biggest debut among films starring Angelina Jolie, and the actress' highest-grossing film of all time worldwide,{{cite news|title=GLOBAL: Strong Brazil Bow Sends 'How to Train Your Dragon 2' to $43.5 Million Overseas Weekend; 'Maleficent' Takes $20.3 Million in China| url=http://www.boxoffice.com/news/2014-06-22-global-june-22-update|work=Boxoffice|date=June 22, 2014|access-date=June 22, 2014|publisher=BoxOffice® Media, LLC|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140626023210/http://www.boxoffice.com/news/2014-06-22-global-june-22-update|archive-date=June 26, 2014|df=mdy-all}}{{cite news|first1=Ray|last1=Subers|title=Weekend Report: 'Man' Defeats 'Boys,' Falls Short of Predecessor|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=3861&p=.htm|date=June 22, 2014|access-date=June 22, 2014|work=Box Office Mojo|archive-date=July 2, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140702182840/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=3861|url-status=live}} as well as the fourth-highest grossing 2014 film (behind Transformers: Age of Extinction, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, and Guardians of the Galaxy), and the 15th Disney-distributed film to surpass the $700 million mark at the worldwide box office.{{cite news| last1=Cunningham| first1=Todd| title='Maleficent' Passes $700 Million at Worldwide Box Office| url=https://www.thewrap.com/maleficent-passes-700-million-at-worldwide-box-office/| access-date=July 27, 2014| work=The Wrap| date=July 22, 2014| archive-date=November 20, 2014| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141120212819/https://www.thewrap.com/maleficent-passes-700-million-at-worldwide-box-office/| url-status=live}} The film is also one of four Walt Disney Studios releases in 2014 to gross over $500 million; the other titles being Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and Big Hero 6.{{cite web | url=https://boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=4019&p=.htm | title=Around-the-World Roundup: 'Jupiter' Ascends to Top Spot Overseas | publisher=Box Office Mojo | access-date=February 9, 2015 | archive-date=February 10, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150210072931/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=4019&p=.htm | url-status=live }}

In North America, Maleficent earned $4.2 million in Thursday-night showings, surpassing the midnight or late-night grosses of previous live-action fantasy films, Alice in Wonderland, Oz the Great and Powerful{{cite web| last=McClintock| first=Pamela| title=Box Office: 'Maleficent' Enchants With $4.2M Thursday Night; Nabs $20.1M Overseas| url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/box-office-maleficent-enchants-42m-708161| work=The Hollywood Reporter| access-date=May 30, 2014| date=March 30, 2014| archive-date=November 12, 2020| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112024005/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/box-office-maleficent-enchants-42m-708161| url-status=live}}{{cite news| last=Subers| first=Ray| title=Forecast: 'Maleficent' Set to Reign On Final Weekend of May| url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=3849&p=.htm| access-date=May 30, 2014| publisher=Box Office Mojo| date=May 29, 2014| archive-date=July 15, 2014| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140715164135/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=3849| url-status=live}} and Snow White and the Huntsman. By the end of its opening day (including late-night Thursday earnings), the film earned $24.3 million, similar to Oz, but ahead of Snow White and the Huntsman and behind Alice.{{cite news|last=Subers|first=Ray|title=Friday Report: 'Maleficent' Conjures Up $24.2 Million Debut|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=3850&p=.htm&1|access-date=May 31, 2014|publisher=Box Office Mojo|date=May 30, 2014|archive-date=July 15, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140715180544/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=3850|url-status=live}} Maleficent finished its debut weekend at first place with $69.4 million{{cite web| title=Maleficent (2014) - Weekend Box Office Results – Box Office Mojo| url=https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=weekend&id=maleficient.htm| website=Box Office Mojo| publisher=IMDb| access-date=June 9, 2014| archive-date=February 23, 2013| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130223163001/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=weekend| url-status=live}} ($6.7 million of which was earned from IMAX locations and 35% of which was earned from 3D showings),{{cite news| last1=Subers| first1=Ray| title=Weekend Report: 'Maleficent' Casts Box Office Spell, 'Million Ways' Dies| url=https://boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=3851&p=.htm| access-date=June 1, 2014| publisher=Box Office Mojo| date=June 1, 2014| archive-date=August 5, 2016| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160805212832/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=3851| url-status=live}} which exceeded Disney's expectations of a $60 million and making it the largest opening-weekend performance for a live-action film starring Jolie (a record previously held by her 2008 film Wanted),{{cite news| title=NORTH AMERICA: Studio Estimates: 'Maleficent' Casts Box Office Spell with $70.0M; 'A Million Ways to Die in the West' Soft with $17.1M| url=http://www.boxoffice.com/latest-news/2014-05-28-north-america-may-30-weekend-report| access-date=June 1, 2014| work=Boxoffice| date=June 1, 2014| archive-date=June 2, 2014| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140602020705/http://www.boxoffice.com/latest-news/2014-05-28-north-america-may-30-weekend-report| url-status=dead}} as well as the third-highest opening weekend for a solo female star (behind the first two films in The Hunger Games series).{{cite news| last1=Vary| first1=Adam B.| title=Angelina Jolie Proves Why Movie Stars Still Matter| url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/adambvary/why-movie-stars-still-matter-dammit| access-date=June 2, 2014| publisher=BuzzFeed.com| date=June 2, 2014| archive-date=June 5, 2014| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140605083310/https://www.buzzfeed.com/adambvary/why-movie-stars-still-matter-dammit| url-status=live}} Disney reported that 46% of ticket buyers in Thursday previews were male, while weekend reports said family audiences accounted for 45% of the film's total audience, and couples and teens accounted for 38% and 18%, respectively. Female audiences and moviegoers over 25 years old held respective proportions of 60% and 51%. Dave Hollis, head of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, attributed this success to "some momentum and great word-of-mouth." During its first week, the film earned $93.8 million, ahead of Snow White yet behind Oz and Alice.{{cite news| title=NORTH AMERICA: 'Maleficent' Casts Box Office Spell with $93.9M in its First Week| url=http://www.boxoffice.com/latest-news/2014-06-06-north-america-maleficent-casts-box-office-spell-with-939m-in-its-first-week| access-date=June 9, 2014| work=Boxoffice| date=June 6, 2014| archive-date=July 14, 2014| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714235651/http://www.boxoffice.com/latest-news/2014-06-06-north-america-maleficent-casts-box-office-spell-with-939m-in-its-first-week| url-status=dead}} In its second weekend, Maleficent dropped by 50.6% to $34.3 million, finishing in second place. It experienced a smaller second-weekend drop than Snow White,{{cite news| title=NORTH AMERICA: Studio Estimates: 'The Fault In Our Stars' Shines with $48.2M; 'Edge of Tomorrow' Debuts in Third with $29.1M| url=http://www.boxoffice.com/latest-news/2014-06-05-north-america-the-fault-in-our-stars-edge-of-tomorrow-thursday-night-report| access-date=June 8, 2014| work=Boxoffice| date=June 8, 2014| archive-date=July 14, 2014| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714180858/http://www.boxoffice.com/latest-news/2014-06-05-north-america-the-fault-in-our-stars-edge-of-tomorrow-thursday-night-report| url-status=dead}}{{cite news| last1=Subers| first1=Ray| title=Weekend Report: 'Stars' Align for 'Fault,' Cruise Misses with 'Edge'| url=https://boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=3855&p=.htm| access-date=June 8, 2014| date=June 8, 2014| work=Box Office Mojo| archive-date=June 11, 2014| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140611230350/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=3855&p=.htm| url-status=live}} yet still bigger than Oz and Alice.{{cite news|title='Alice' Vs. 'Oz' Vs. 'Maleficent'|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/showdowns/chart/?view=weekend&id=aliceoz.htm|access-date=June 17, 2014|publisher=Box Office Mojo|archive-date=June 7, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140607052727/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/showdowns/chart/?view=weekend&id=aliceoz.htm|url-status=live}} In North America, Maleficent is the eighth-highest-grossing 2014 film.{{cite web| title=2014 Yearly Box Office Results - 2014 Domestic Grosses| url=https://boxofficemojo.com/yearly/chart/?yr=2014&p=.htm| website=Box Office Mojo| access-date=July 18, 2014| archive-date=July 7, 2014| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140707182331/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/yearly/chart/?yr=2014&p=.htm| url-status=live}}

Maleficent opened outside North America on the same weekend as North America, earning $20.1 million from 35 territories in its first two days (May 28–29, 2014).{{cite news|last=McClintock|first=Pamela|title=Box Office: 'Maleficent' Bewitches Friday Moviegoers for $65 Million-Plus Debut|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/box-office-maleficent-bewitches-friday-708352|access-date=May 30, 2014|newspaper=The Hollywood Reporter|date=May 30, 2014|archive-date=November 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112004007/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/box-office-maleficent-bewitches-friday-708352|url-status=live}} During its opening weekend, the film topped the box office with $106.1 million from 47 territories.{{cite news|last=Tartaglione|first=Nancy|title=UPDATE: Int'l Box Office: 'Maleficent' Awakens $106.1M Overseas; 'X-Men' Adds $95.6M; 'Edge Of Tomorrow' Cruises To $20.1M In Select Markets; 'A Million Ways To Die In The West' Holsters $10M; More|url=https://deadline.com/2014/06/international-box-office-maleficent-awakens-100m-overseas-bow-x-men-adds-95-6m-edge-of-tomorrow-cruises-to-20m-in-select-markets-a-million-ways-to-die-in-the-west-holsters-10-738691/|access-date=June 17, 2014|date=June 2, 2014|publisher=PMC|work=Deadline Hollywood|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140603105202/http://www.deadline.com/2014/06/international-box-office-maleficent-awakens-100m-overseas-bow-x-men-adds-95-6m-edge-of-tomorrow-cruises-to-20m-in-select-markets-a-million-ways-to-die-in-the-west-holsters-10/|archive-date=June 3, 2014}} Its largest opening weekends were in China ($22.2 million),{{cite news|title=China Box Office 16-22/06/2014|url=http://english.entgroup.cn/boxoffice/cn/Default.aspx?week=2014-06-16|access-date=July 2, 2014|work=EntGroup|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140702080655/http://english.entgroup.cn/boxoffice/cn/Default.aspx?week=2014-06-16|archive-date=July 2, 2014}} Mexico ($14.0 million), and Russia and the CIS ($13.0 million). On the second weekend of release, Maleficent fell to $61.7 million, earning from 52 markets.{{cite news|title=Intl Box Office: 'Edge Of Tomorrow' No. 1 With $81M; 'Fault In Our Stars' Shines Bright In Brazil, Mexico, Oz; 'Maleficent' Adds $61.7M; 'X-Men' Crosses $100M In China; More|url=https://deadline.com/2014/06/intl-box-office-edge-of-tomorrow-no-1-with-82m-fault-in-our-stars-shines-in-brazil-mexico-oz-maleficent-adds-59-7m-x-men-crosses-100m-in-china-more-742085/|last1=Tartaglione|first1=Nancy|date=June 9, 2014|access-date=June 9, 2014|work=Deadline Hollywood|publisher=PMC|archive-date=June 26, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140626070036/http://www.deadline.com/2014/06/intl-box-office-edge-of-tomorrow-no-1-with-82m-fault-in-our-stars-shines-in-brazil-mexico-oz-maleficent-adds-59-7m-x-men-crosses-100m-in-china-more/|url-status=live}}{{cite news|title=GLOBAL: 'Edge of Tomorrow' Leads the Overseas Box Office, Reaches $140.1M Global Cume Following North American Release |url=http://www.boxoffice.com/news/2014-06-08-global-edge-of-tomorrow-leads-the-overseas-box-office-reaches-1401m-global-cume-following-north-american-release |access-date=June 9, 2014 |work=Boxoffice |date=June 8, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140616025204/http://www.boxoffice.com/news/2014-06-08-global-edge-of-tomorrow-leads-the-overseas-box-office-reaches-1401m-global-cume-following-north-american-release |archive-date=June 16, 2014 }} It was in first place at the box office outside North America on three weekends, its first, third ($39.2 million){{cite news|last=Tartaglione|first=Nancy|title=Final Int'l Box Office: 'Godzilla' Thrashes Again With $38.4M Weekend Led By China; 'How To Train Your Dragon 2′ Fires Up $24.4M; 'Fault' On Fire In Brazil|url=https://deadline.com/2014/06/intl-box-office-godzilla-thrashes-again-with-38m-weekend-led-by-china-how-to-train-your-dragon-2-fires-up-24-8m-more-788313/|access-date=June 17, 2014|date=June 16, 2014|website=Deadline Hollywood|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140623050140/http://www.deadline.com/2014/06/intl-box-office-godzilla-thrashes-again-with-38m-weekend-led-by-china-how-to-train-your-dragon-2-fires-up-24-8m-more/|archive-date=June 23, 2014}}{{cite news|title=GLOBAL: 'Godzilla' Takes Over China, Crosses $400M Worldwide |url=http://www.boxoffice.com/news/2014-06-15-overseas-box-office-update-6-15-2014 |access-date=June 15, 2014 |work=Boxoffice |publisher=BoxOffice® Media, LLC. |date=June 15, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140620032227/http://www.boxoffice.com/news/2014-06-15-overseas-box-office-update-6-15-2014 |archive-date=June 20, 2014 }} and fourth ($47.9 million).{{cite news|url=http://www.screendaily.com/box-office/maleficent-rules-intl-on-48m/5073414.article?blocktitle=INTERNATIONAL-BOX-OFFICE-NEWS&contentID=40079|title=Maleficent rules international box office on $48m|first=Jeremy|last=Kay|date=June 22, 2014|access-date=July 2, 2014|publisher=Screen Daily|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140624161845/http://www.screendaily.com/box-office/maleficent-rules-intl-on-48m/5073414.article?blocktitle=INTERNATIONAL-BOX-OFFICE-NEWS&contentID=40079|archive-date=June 24, 2014}}

Maleficent is the fourth-highest grossing 2014 film,{{cite web|title=2014 Yearly Box Office Results (Sorted by Overseas Grosses)|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/yearly/chart/?view2=worldwide&yr=2014&sort=osgross&order=DESC&p=.htm|website=Box Office Mojo|publisher=IMDb|access-date=August 19, 2014|archive-date=January 13, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130113154847/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/yearly/chart/?view2=worldwide|url-status=live}} and Angelina Jolie's highest-grossing live-action film. In total earnings, the film's top markets after North America are Japan ($57.6 million), China ($47.7 million), Mexico ($46.2 million), Russia ($37.7 million), Brazil ($33.2 million), the United Kingdom ($31.7 million), Venezuela ($24.5 million), and Italy ($19.1 million).{{cite web|title=Maleficent (2014) - International Box Office Results|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=intl&id=maleficient.htm|access-date=June 23, 2014|work=Box Office Mojo|publisher=IMDb|archive-date=June 1, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190601102243/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=intl|url-status=live}} It was also the most watched film at the Maltese box office in 2014, enjoying an eighteen-week run.{{cite web| url=http://www.tvm.com.mt/mt/news/films-immirati-lejn-tfal-fost-l-aktar-popolari-mal-maltin/| title=Films immirati lejn it-tfal fost l-aktar popolari mal-Maltin| date=January 19, 2015| publisher=Television Malta| access-date=January 19, 2015| archive-date=August 9, 2019| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190809062109/https://www.tvm.com.mt/mt/news/films-immirati-lejn-tfal-fost-l-aktar-popolari-mal-maltin/| url-status=live}}

Dave Lewis, writing for HitFix, predicted that although Disney fairy tales and Angelina Jolie's performance might attract audiences, Maleficent would not gross even as much as Oz the Great and Powerful, explaining that the film was released on the same time frame with competitive releases such as X-Men: Days of Future Past, Godzilla, and A Million Ways to Die in the West,{{cite news| last1=Lewis| first1=Dave| title=Summer Box Office Predictions 2014: 'X-Men,' 'Transformers,' 'Maleficent'| url=http://www.hitfix.com/news/summer-box-office-predictions-2014-x-men-transformers-maleficent| work=HitFix| date=April 15, 2014| access-date=June 9, 2014| archive-date=April 16, 2014| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140416020314/http://www.hitfix.com/news/summer-box-office-predictions-2014-x-men-transformers-maleficent| url-status=live}} though it outperformed those films later on. Boxoffice wrote that Maleficent had a successful marketing campaign, featured Jolie in the title role, and its "female-driven" themes and plot aimed at women. However, the site also noted that the film would have to compete with other summer releases, and the character of Maleficent may not attract young children.{{cite news|author=BoxOffice Staff|title=Long Range Forecast: 'Maleficent'|url=http://www.boxoffice.com/featured_stories/2014-04-long-range-forecast-maleficent|access-date=June 9, 2014|work=Boxoffice|date=April 4, 2014|archive-date=July 14, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714133245/http://www.boxoffice.com/featured_stories/2014-04-long-range-forecast-maleficent|url-status=dead}} Todd Cunningham of The Wrap shared the same opinion, writing, "[the film's] connecting with parents and that Jolie's considerable star power is having a big impact."{{cite news| last1=Cunningham| first1=Todd| title=Angelina Jolie's 'Maleficent' Tracking for $60 Million-Plus Box-Office Opening| url=https://www.thewrap.com/angelina-jolies-maleficent-tracking-strong-xx-million-opening/| access-date=June 9, 2014| work=The Wrap| date=May 8, 2014| archive-date=August 29, 2014| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140829180815/https://www.thewrap.com/angelina-jolies-maleficent-tracking-strong-xx-million-opening/| url-status=live}}{{cite news| last1=Cunningham| first1=Todd| title=The 5 Biggest Box-Office Summer Showdowns| url=http://www.businessinsider.com/summer-movie-showdowns-2014-4?op=1| access-date=June 9, 2014| work=Business Insider| date=April 25, 2014| archive-date=November 6, 2018| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181106143918/https://www.businessinsider.com/summer-movie-showdowns-2014-4?op=1| url-status=live}} Wells Fargo's Marci Ryvicker predicted that Maleficent might be "too dark and scary to be profitable" and was likely to force Disney "into a write-down", as reported by The New York Times; while RBC Capital Markets' David Bank commented that "It's definitely in the 'not a sure thing' bucket."{{cite news| last1=Atkinson| first1=Claire| title=Scary prospects for Disney's 'Maleficent'| url=https://nypost.com/2014/04/01/scary-prospects-for-disneys-maleficent/| access-date=June 9, 2014| work=The New York Post| date=April 1, 2014| archive-date=April 2, 2014| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140402120133/https://nypost.com/2014/04/01/scary-prospects-for-disneys-maleficent/| url-status=live}}{{cite news| last1=Jones| first1=Reid| title=Wall St. Predicts Maleficent DOOMED for the Box Office| url=http://moviepilot.com/posts/2014/04/02/wall-st-predicts-maleficent-doomed-for-the-box-office-1311983?lt_source=external,manual,manual#!WRU9j| access-date=June 9, 2014| work=MoviePilot| date=April 2, 2014| archive-date=July 15, 2014| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140715001857/http://moviepilot.com/posts/2014/04/02/wall-st-predicts-maleficent-doomed-for-the-box-office-1311983?lt_source=external,manual,manual#!WRU9j| url-status=dead}}{{cite news|author1=David|title=Report: Angelina Jolie's 'Maleficent' "Scaring Away Investors" / Set For Box Office Bomb?|url=http://thatgrapejuice.net/entertainment/2014/04/report-angelina-jolies-maleficent-scaring-investors-set-box-office-bomb/|access-date=June 9, 2014|date=April 7, 2014|work=That Grape Juice|archive-date=September 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200928115802/https://thatgrapejuice.net/entertainment/2014/04/report-angelina-jolies-maleficent-scaring-investors-set-box-office-bomb/|url-status=live}} Wall St. Cheat Sheet explained that the film approached to a more "grown-up" and "sinister" aspect of the classic, and targeted for an older audience like young adults. "It's just too scary for younger children," the site wrote.{{cite news|last1=Knight|first1=Ella|title=12 Future Blockbusters That Will Burn Up the Box Office This Summer|url=http://wallstcheatsheet.com/entertainment/12-blockbusters-that-will-burn-up-the-box-office-this-summer.html/?a=viewall|access-date=June 9, 2014|work=Wall St. Cheat Sheet|date=April 18, 2014|archive-date=July 14, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714202012/http://wallstcheatsheet.com/entertainment/12-blockbusters-that-will-burn-up-the-box-office-this-summer.html/?a=viewall|url-status=dead}} ScreenRant added that the PG rating of the film would "fill a void in the marketplace, which is currently without a traditional "family friendly" option."{{cite news|first=Chris|last=Agar|title=Box Office Prediction: 'X-Men: Days of Future Past' vs. 'Maleficent'|url=https://screenrant.com/maleficent-box-office-prediction-million-ways-die-west/|work=ScreenRant|date=May 28, 2014|access-date=June 9, 2014|archive-date=July 22, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140722201027/https://screenrant.com/maleficent-box-office-prediction-million-ways-die-west/|url-status=live}} Box Office Mojo primarily compared the film with 2012's Snow White and the Huntsman (another film that also focused on a fairy tale villain), predicting that Maleficent "has a good chance" of matching Snow White{{'}}s gross in North America box office.{{cite news| last=Subers| first=Ray| title=Summer 2014 Forecast| url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=3826| date=April 23, 2014| access-date=June 9, 2014| work=Box Office Mojo| publisher=IMDb| archive-date=November 6, 2018| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181106143841/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=3826| url-status=live}} The film, however, ended up grossing double the amount projected.

Variety wrote that the film's opening weekend outperforming initial box-office projections was later attributed by analysts in part to Disney's successful marketing to the "potent demographic" (female audiences) much like the studio accomplished with Frozen, in which both films feature a strong female lead.{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/2014/film/news/maleficent-box-office-frozen-strong-female-audience-1201205259/|title='Maleficent' Shows Strength of Female Audiences at Box Office|work=Variety|date=June 2, 2014|access-date=June 2, 2014|first1=Brent|last1=Lang|archive-date=June 7, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140607070105/https://variety.com/2014/film/news/maleficent-box-office-frozen-strong-female-audience-1201205259/|url-status=live}} Disney argued that a lack of family-friendly options in the marketplace would "bode well for Maleficent{{'}}s [box-office] performance" in its two first weeks of release.

The cost of the film was offset by a rebate from the UK in the amount of £23,535,108 ($37 million in 2012, the period in which it was shot).{{cite news| title=Hollywood Studios Reap Hundreds of Millions in British Tax Relief| url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/dongroves/2016/02/01/hollywood-studios-reap-hundreds-of-millions-in-british-tax-relief/#586ebae44b56| last=Groves| first=Don| date=February 1, 2016| journal=Forbes| access-date=March 3, 2018| archive-date=April 5, 2016| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160405150919/http://www.forbes.com/sites/dongroves/2016/02/01/hollywood-studios-reap-hundreds-of-millions-in-british-tax-relief/#586ebae44b56| url-status=live}}

Maleficent was released by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment on Blu-ray, DVD, Blu-ray 3D, and digital download on November 4, 2014.{{cite web |title=Maleficent DVD & Blu-ray |url=http://videoeta.com/movie/138036/maleficent |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140728041133/http://videoeta.com/movie/138036/maleficent/ |archive-date=July 28, 2014 |access-date=July 25, 2014 |publisher=VideoETA}} The film topped the home-video sales chart in its first week of release.{{cite web |date=November 13, 2014 |title='Maleficent' Captures Top Spot on Home Video Sales Charts, Unseats 'X-Men' |url=https://variety.com/2014/film/news/maleficent-tops-home-video-sales-hercules-1201355592/ |access-date=June 12, 2015 |newspaper=Variety |archive-date=March 3, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150303012105/https://variety.com/2014/film/news/maleficent-tops-home-video-sales-hercules-1201355592/ |url-status=live }} {{As of|2015|2}}, Maleficent has made over $74 million in total home-video sales.{{cite news |date=9 November 2014 |title=Maleficent |newspaper=The Numbers |url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Maleficent#tab=video-sales |access-date=12 June 2015 |archive-date=November 2, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201102044651/https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Maleficent#tab=video-sales |url-status=live }} It was the seventh best-selling title of 2014 with 3.6 million units sold.{{cite web|title=Top-Selling Video Titles in the United States in 2014|url=http://www.the-numbers.com/home-market/packaged-media-sales/2014|website=The Numbers|access-date=21 May 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150516193840/http://www.the-numbers.com/home-market/packaged-media-sales/2014|archive-date=16 May 2015|url-status=live}} Maleficent was released on 4K UHD Blu-ray on September 24, 2019.{{Citation |title=Maleficent 4K Blu-ray |url=https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Maleficent-4K-Blu-ray/247739/ |access-date=August 18, 2019 |archive-date=October 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191014092610/https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Maleficent-4K-Blu-ray/247739/ |url-status=live }}

File:Angelina Jolie 2 June 2014 (cropped).jpg's performance was repeatedly acclaimed by critics.{{cite news|last1=Acuna|first1=Kirsten|title=Angelina Jolie Is The Best Part Of 'Maleficent'|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/maleficent-reviews-2014-5|date=May 28, 2014|access-date=February 14, 2024|work=Business Insider|archive-date=July 7, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220707231712/https://www.businessinsider.com/maleficent-reviews-2014-5|url-status=live}}]]

Maleficent received mixed reviews from critics, who praised the performances (especially Jolie's), visual effects and costumes, but criticized the script and Stromberg's direction.{{cite news|last=Gettell|first=Oliver|date=May 30, 2014|title='Maleficent' reviews: Angelina Jolie, at least, is bewitching|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-et-mn-maleficent-angelina-jolie-movie-reviews-critics-20140530-story.html|work=Los Angeles Times|url-access=limited|access-date=February 14, 2024|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180421093917/http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-et-mn-maleficent-angelina-jolie-movie-reviews-critics-20140530-story.html|archive-date=April 21, 2018}} The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported that the film had {{a or an|{{RT data|score}}}} approval rating based on {{RT data|count}} reviews, with an average rating of {{RT data|average}}. According to its consensus, "Angelina Jolie's magnetic performance outshines Maleficent{{'}}s dazzling special effects; unfortunately, the movie around them fails to justify all that impressive effort."{{cite web|title=Maleficent (2014)|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/maleficent_2014/|website=Rotten Tomatoes|publisher=Fandango Media|access-date={{RT data|access date}}|archive-date=November 17, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201117065826/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/maleficent_2014|url-status=live}}{{RT data|edit}} On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 56 out of 100 based on 44 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".{{cite web|title=Maleficent|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/maleficent|publisher=CBS Interactive|work=Metacritic|access-date=May 31, 2014|archive-date=March 29, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190329072402/https://www.metacritic.com/movie/maleficent|url-status=live}} Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an "A" grade on a scale of A+ to F.{{cite magazine|last=Bahr|first=Lindsey|date=June 1, 2014|title=Box office report: 'Maleficent' reigns; 'A Million Ways' disappoints|url=https://ew.com/article/2014/06/01/box-office-report-maleficent/|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=February 14, 2024|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230607062936/https://ew.com/article/2014/06/01/box-office-report-maleficent/|archive-date=June 7, 2023}}

The New York Times stated, "with two shorn wings and an astonishing maternal kiss, Maleficent demolishes stereotypes that were only tweaked in Frozen."{{cite news| title=Sugar, Spice and Guts| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/07/movies/fall-arts-preview-representation-of-female-characters-in-movies-is-improving.html?_r=0| last1=Scott| first1=A.O.| last2=Dargis| first2=Manohla| date=September 3, 2014| newspaper=The New York Times| access-date=June 7, 2017| archive-date=November 18, 2015| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151118021302/https://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/07/movies/fall-arts-preview-representation-of-female-characters-in-movies-is-improving.html?_r=0| url-status=live}} Kate Taylor of the Globe and Mail was very positive about the film, writing that "[it] surprises not for its baroque visions of a colourful woodland enlivened by joyous fairies and a forbidding castle peopled by unhappy humans, but rather for the thematic richness of its story gloriously personified by Angelina Jolie in the title role." While criticizing the overuse of CGI and 3D effects, she particularly praised the positive message of the film and Jolie's performance. She concluded her review with, "Long live the feminist revisionist backstory."{{cite news|last1=Taylor|first1=Kate|title=Why Angelina Jolie's Maleficent is magnificent|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/film/film-reviews/why-angelina-jolies-maleficent-is-magnificent/article18915980/|access-date=June 12, 2014|work=The Globe and Mail|location=Toronto|date=May 29, 2014|archive-date=June 13, 2014|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140613203351/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/film/film-reviews/why-angelina-jolies-maleficent-is-magnificent/article18915980/|url-status=live}} On the contrary, Keith Staskiewicz, writing for the Entertainment Weekly, awarded the film a "B−" and wrote that "there's a lot of levitating cliffs and odd flora. But despite their bleeding-edge digital design, the backgrounds have all the depth of the old matte-painted backgrounds of the analog days," which made the film "[feel] classical in nature." He further commented that "The characters are boiled down to their essentials, the humor is timelessly broad."{{cite magazine| last1=Staskiewicz| first1=Keith| title=Maleficent (2014) Movie Review| url=https://ew.com/article/2014/06/12/maleficent-movie/| access-date=June 12, 2014| magazine=Entertainment Weekly| date=June 11, 2014| archive-date=August 27, 2014| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140827200333/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20483133_20804825,00.html| url-status=live}} Michael Philips of the Chicago Tribune gave the film two and a half stars, commenting that the recent "formula" that "a new angle on a well-known fairy tale appears in the light" "works" with Maleficent. He also said that the film "is all about second thoughts" since Maleficent "spends much of the film as Aurora's conflicted fairy godmother." Phillips particularly praised Jolie and Elle Fanning's acting, Rick Baker's makeup (for Jolie's "angular, serrated look"), but criticized James Newton Howard's "sloshy, pushy" musical score.{{cite news| last1=Phillips| first1=Michael| title=Review: 'Maleficent' ★★ 1/2| url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/movies/ct-maleficent-review-20140530,0,5658116.column| access-date=June 12, 2014| work=Chicago Tribune| date=May 29, 2014| archive-date=July 15, 2014| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140715110813/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2014-05-29/entertainment/ct-maleficent-review-20140530_1_robert-stromberg-maleficent-linda-woolverton| url-status=live}} Robbie Collin of The Daily Telegraph wrote, "This Disney reimagining of Sleeping Beauty lacks true enchantment, but Angelina Jolie saves the day."{{cite web| last=Collin| first=Robbie| date=May 28, 2014| title=Maleficent, review| url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/filmreviews/10858663/Maleficent-review.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/filmreviews/10858663/Maleficent-review.html |archive-date=January 11, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live| work=The Daily Telegraph| location=London| access-date=May 29, 2014}}{{cbignore}} Betsy Sharkey of the Los Angeles Times wrote, "This is Jolie's film because of the Maleficent she makes. Everyone else, even Aurora, fades in her presence."{{cite news| last=Sharkey| first=Betsy| title=Review: Angelina Jolie is wickedly good in the not-quite-classic 'Maleficent'| url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-maleficent-review-20140530-column.html| access-date=May 30, 2014| newspaper=Los Angeles Times| date=May 29, 2014| archive-date=July 18, 2014| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140718224932/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-maleficent-review-20140530-column.html| url-status=live}} J.C. Maçek III of PopMatters wrote, "Even at its silliest, Maleficent is a well-acted film, with Sharlto Copley turning in a memorable performance and Elle Fanning proving to be an inspired choice for Aurora/Sleeping Beauty. Jolie manages to steal her own show in most every scene. Jolie is excellent as the hopeful fairy, enjoying the world she flies through. She is also brilliant as the Dark Lady, who could be a perfect counterpart to any Darth Vader, as she malevolently takes her revenge on those who have wronged her."{{cite web| work=PopMatters| url=https://www.popmatters.com/review/187567-maleficent/| first=J.C.| last=Maçek III| title=In 'Maleficent', Angelina Jolie Channels Shakespeare's Richard III| date=November 4, 2014| access-date=February 19, 2020| archive-date=June 30, 2015| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150630125818/https://www.popmatters.com/review/187567-maleficent/| url-status=live}}

Ann Hornaday of The Washington Post awarded the film three-and-a-half out of four stars, commenting, "Still, for all its limitations, Maleficent manages to be improbably entertaining to watch, due solely to its title character."{{cite news| last=Hornaday| first=Ann| title=Angelina Jolie stars in 'Maleficent,' a feminist-revisionist take on Sleeping Beauty| url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/movies/angelina-jolie-stars-in-maleficent-a-feminist-revisionist-take-on-sleeping-beauty/2014/05/29/86dc9ec8-e75e-11e3-afc6-a1dd9407abcf_story.html| access-date=May 30, 2014| newspaper=The Washington Post| date=May 30, 2014| archive-date=June 12, 2014| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140612110433/https://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/movies/angelina-jolie-stars-in-maleficent-a-feminist-revisionist-take-on-sleeping-beauty/2014/05/29/86dc9ec8-e75e-11e3-afc6-a1dd9407abcf_story.html| url-status=live}} Writing for Roger Ebert's website, Matt Zoller Seitz awarded Maleficent three out of four stars, praising the themes of the film and the acting of Jolie. Seitz also called the scene in which Maleficent discovers the loss of her wings "the most traumatizing image I've seen in a Hollywood fairy tale since the Christ-like sacrifice of Aslan in 2005's The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe."{{cite news|last1=Seitz|first1=Matt|title=Maleficent Movie Review & Film Summary (2014)|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/maleficent-2014|publisher=RogerEbert.com (Ebert Digital LLC)|access-date=June 3, 2014|date=May 29, 2014|archive-date=July 8, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140708181717/https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/maleficent-2014|url-status=live}} The review in The Globe and Mail further explained that "in the simple context of a fairy tale, Jolie does make both the terrifying horned creature and her gradual awakening heartfelt," extolling the "emotional richness" behind her physical acts. Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times felt more negatively, assigning it a D. Although Roeper praised the visuals, he criticized the acting and writing, stating that "the story itself might well put you into the same type of coma that befalls the heroine."{{cite web| last1=Roeper| first1=Richard| date=June 2, 2014| title=Maleficent (2014)| url=http://www.richardroeper.com/reviews/maleficent.aspx| publisher=RichardRoeper.com| access-date=June 3, 2014| archive-date=June 6, 2014| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140606193256/http://www.richardroeper.com/reviews/maleficent.aspx| url-status=live}}

Mary Costa, who voiced Aurora in the 1959 animated motion picture, called the film, "a very good movie". She added that "the concept and perspective are totally different than the original film's, which makes it new and interesting." As for Jolie's performance, she said, "No one could have played the part of Maleficent better," concluding that "she was absolutely magnificent!"California Institute of the Arts: Mary Costa, Awake and Sing, California Institute of the Arts, 2015

Multiple reviewers and commentators have opined that an early scene in the movie, in which Stefan drugs Maleficent and removes her wings from her unconscious body, is a metaphor for rape. Hayley Krischer of The Huffington Post interpreted the scene as an important reference to rape culture: "This is the horrific side of rape culture. We're so enmeshed in it that it's impossible to ignore a metaphoric rape that occurs in a Disney movie". She went on to praise the film for giving a positive and hopeful message to rape victims, ultimately allowing "the woman to recover. It gives her agency. It gives her power. It allows her to reclaim the story".{{cite web|last=Krischer|first=Hayley|title=The Maleficent Rape Scene That We Need to Talk About|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/hayley-krischer/the-maleficent-rape-scene_b_5445974.html?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000046|access-date=June 10, 2014|website=HuffPost|date=June 6, 2014|archive-date=August 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160804183823/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/hayley-krischer/the-maleficent-rape-scene_b_5445974.html?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000046|url-status=live}}

Monika Bartyzel of The Week noted the scene's implications in her review: "In its first act, Maleficent offers a dark, surprisingly adult exploration of rape and female mutilation". However, Bartyzel went on to opine that the film portrayed Maleficent's actions as "a rape revenge fantasy" and criticized the film for not following through on its early subtext, ultimately calling it less feminist and reductive compared to its 1959 counterpart: "In Maleficent, Aurora is the product of a cold and loveless marriage and a vengeful, unhinged rapist. Her safety relies on a trio of clueless and dangerously careless fairies, and her Godmother is the woman who cursed her{{snd}}and who had, in turn, been violated by her own father".{{cite news|last=Bartyzel|first=Monika|title=Girls on Film: Maleficent is less progressive than 1959's Sleeping Beauty|url=https://theweek.com/articles/446342/girls-film-maleficent-less-progressive-than-1959s-sleeping-beauty|access-date=February 14, 2024|date=June 6, 2014|archive-date=July 30, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230730092958/https://theweek.com/articles/446342/girls-film-maleficent-less-progressive-than-1959s-sleeping-beauty|url-status=live}}

Angelina Jolie addressed the issue during an interview with BBC Radio 4 on the Woman's Hour programme, claiming that the subtext was intentional: "The question was asked: 'What could make a woman become so dark and lose all sense of her maternity, her womanhood, and her softness?' … We were very conscious, the writer and I, that [the scene] was a metaphor for rape".{{cite web|last=Bahadur|first=Nina|title=Angelina Jolie: 'Maleficent' Scene Is A 'Metaphor For Rape'|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/angelina-jolie-maleficent-rape-scene_n_5485633|access-date=February 14, 2024|website=HuffPost|date=June 11, 2014|archive-date=November 13, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231113215340/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/angelina-jolie-maleficent-rape-scene_n_5485633|url-status=live}} She further explained that the answer to the question "What could bring her back?" was still "an extreme Disney, fun version [of the story]", but "at the core it is abuse, and how the abused then have a choice of abusing others or overcoming and remaining loving, open people".{{cite magazine|last=Holmes|first=Sally|title=Angelina Jolie Says Violent Maleficent Scene Was a Metaphor for Rape|url=https://www.elle.com/culture/celebrities/news/a15426/angelina-jolie-maleficent-scene-metaphor-for-rape/|access-date=February 14, 2024|magazine=Elle|date=June 12, 2014|archive-date=June 8, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230608062211/https://www.elle.com/culture/celebrities/news/a15426/angelina-jolie-maleficent-scene-metaphor-for-rape/|url-status=live}}

{{Main|Maleficent: Mistress of Evil}}

On June 3, 2014, Angelina Jolie hinted about the possibility of a sequel.{{cite news|last1=Coonan|first1=Clifford|title=Angelina Jolie Hints at 'Maleficent' Sequel in China|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/angelina-jolie-hints-at-maleficent-708893|access-date=June 3, 2014|work=hollywoodreporter.com|date=July 10, 2015|archive-date=January 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210117113412/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/angelina-jolie-hints-at-maleficent-708893|url-status=live}} On June 15, 2015, Disney announced the sequel with Linda Woolverton returning to write the screenplay and Joe Roth to produce the film.{{cite news|last1=Fleming|first1=Mike Jr.|title='Maleficent' Sequel on Disney Drawing Board As Linda Woolverton Makes Scripting Deal|url=https://deadline.com/2015/06/maleficent-sequel-angelina-jolie-linda-woolverton-disney-1201443162/|access-date=June 16, 2015|website=Deadline Hollywood|date=June 15, 2015|archive-date=July 31, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150731080708/https://deadline.com/2015/06/maleficent-sequel-angelina-jolie-linda-woolverton-disney-1201443162/|url-status=live}} On April 26, 2016, it was confirmed that Jolie would reprise her role as Maleficent.{{cite news|last=McClintock|first=Pamela|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/disney-stakes-release-dates-jungle-887415|title=Disney Stakes Out Release Dates for 'Jungle Book 2,' 'Maleficent 2' and More|access-date=May 5, 2016|work=hollywoodreporter.com|date=April 26, 2016|archive-date=April 26, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160426101848/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/disney-stakes-release-dates-jungle-887415|url-status=live}} On August 30, 2017, Disney hired screenwriter Jez Butterworth to rewrite the initial script by Woolverton.{{cite news|last1=Drum|first1=Nicole|title='Maleficent 2' Headed into Production|url=https://comicbook.com/movies/2017/08/30/maleficent-2-new-screenwriter/|access-date=September 11, 2017|work=comicbook.com|date=August 30, 2017|archive-date=July 9, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190709044035/https://comicbook.com/movies/2017/08/30/maleficent-2-new-screenwriter/|url-status=live}} On October 3, 2017, it was reported that Joachim Rønning (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales) was in talks on directing the sequel.{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/2017/film/news/maleficent-2-director-joachim-ronning-angelina-jolie-1202579587/|title=Angelina Jolie's 'Maleficent 2' Taps 'Pirates of the Caribbean' Director Joachim Ronning|work=Variety|date=October 3, 2017|access-date=October 3, 2017|first1=Justin|last1=Kroll|archive-date=March 26, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180326191203/https://variety.com/2017/film/news/maleficent-2-director-joachim-ronning-angelina-jolie-1202579587/|url-status=live}}

In January 2018, the sequel was reported to start filming in spring 2018,{{cite news|url=https://screenrant.com/maleficent-2-angelina-jolie-filming-start-date/|title=Maleficent 2 Sets Spring Filming Start Date|work=Screen Rant|date=January 5, 2018|access-date=January 13, 2018|first1=Carolyn|last1=Burke|archive-date=January 14, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180114020446/https://screenrant.com/maleficent-2-angelina-jolie-filming-start-date/|url-status=live}} and that Patrick Tatopoulos had joined the crew as production designer.{{cite news|url=https://omegaunderground.com/2018/01/05/maleficent-2-begins-filming-april-hires-justice-league-production-designer/|title='Maleficent 2' Begins Filming in April and Hires 'Justice League' Production Designer|work=Omega Underground|date=January 5, 2018|access-date=April 28, 2018|first1=Christopher|last1=Marc|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180202004716/http://omegaunderground.com/2018/01/05/maleficent-2-begins-filming-april-hires-justice-league-production-designer/|archive-date=February 2, 2018|url-status=dead}} In April 2018, Ed Skrein was announced to play the film's villain, with Elle Fanning was set to reprise her role as Aurora.{{cite news|url=https://deadline.com/2018/04/ed-skrein-villain-disney-maleficent-sequel-1202366661/|title=Ed Skrein To Play A Villain in Disney's 'Maleficent' Sequel|work=Deadline Hollywood|date=April 17, 2018|access-date=April 17, 2018|first1=Amanda|last1=N'Duka|archive-date=April 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180418022859/https://deadline.com/2018/04/ed-skrein-villain-disney-maleficent-sequel-1202366661/|url-status=dead}}

On April 27, 2018, it was reported that Michelle Pfeiffer was in advanced talks to play a queen in the sequel, while the script's most recent draft was written by Noah Harpster and Micah Fitzerman-Blue.{{cite web |title=Michelle Pfeiffer in Talks to Join Angelina Jolie in 'Maleficent 2' (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2018/film/news/michelle-pfieffer-angelina-jolie-maleficent-2-1202786677/ |access-date=April 27, 2018 |website=Variety |date=April 27, 2018 |archive-date=April 28, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180428002607/https://variety.com/2018/film/news/michelle-pfieffer-angelina-jolie-maleficent-2-1202786677/ |url-status=live }} On May 2, 2018, it was reported that Harris Dickinson had joined the cast as Prince Philip, replacing Brenton Thwaites, who was unable to reprise the role due to scheduling conflicts.{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/2018/film/news/harris-dickinson-maleficent-2-prince-1202795643/|title='Trust' Star Harris Dickinson to Play the Prince in Disney's 'Maleficent 2' (EXCLUSIVE)|work=Variety|date=May 2, 2018|access-date=May 3, 2018|first1=Justin|last1=Kroll|archive-date=June 12, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612141231/https://variety.com/2018/film/news/harris-dickinson-maleficent-2-prince-1202795643/|url-status=live}} On May 4, 2018, it was announced that Chiwetel Ejiofor (who previously worked with Jolie in Salt) was in talks to join the cast of the sequel as a potential love interest to Maleficent.{{cite news|url=https://screenrant.com/maleficent-2-cast-chiwetel-ejiofor/|title=Chiwetel Ejiofor Reportedly in Talks for Maleficent 2|work=Screen Rant|date=May 4, 2018|access-date=May 5, 2018|first1=Sandy|last1=Schaefer|archive-date=June 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180608235444/https://screenrant.com/maleficent-2-cast-chiwetel-ejiofor/|url-status=live}} On May 17, 2018, Jenn Murray was announced to join the cast.{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/2018/film/news/fantastic-beasts-jenn-murray-maleficent-2-1202814628/|title='Fantastic Beasts' Actress Jenn Murray Joins 'Maleficent 2' (Exclusive)|website=Variety|date=May 17, 2018|access-date=May 18, 2018|first1=Justin|last1=Kroll|archive-date=May 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180519032317/https://variety.com/2018/film/news/fantastic-beasts-jenn-murray-maleficent-2-1202814628/|url-status=live}}

On May 23, 2018, David Gyasi was reported as joining the cast in an unspecified role.{{cite news|url=https://deadline.com/2018/05/david-gyasi-cast-maleficent-2-movie-sequel-disney-1202396377/|title=David Gyasi Joins Disney's 'Maleficent' Sequel|website=Deadline Hollywood|date=May 23, 2018|access-date=May 24, 2018|first1=Nancy|last1=Tartaglione|archive-date=July 9, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180709173820/https://deadline.com/2018/05/david-gyasi-cast-maleficent-2-movie-sequel-disney-1202396377/|url-status=live}} On May 29, the movie officially started filming as the cast and synopsis were revealed.{{cite news|url=https://collider.com/maleficent-2-filming-cast-synopsis/|title=Filming Begins on 'Maleficent II' as Cast and Synopsis Revealed|website=Collider|date=May 29, 2018|access-date=May 29, 2018|first1=Adam|last1=Chitwood|archive-date=November 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116023144/https://collider.com/maleficent-2-filming-cast-synopsis/|url-status=live}}

Principal photography concluded on August 24, 2018.{{cite web|url=https://comicbook.com/movies/2018/08/26/disney-maleficent-2-wraps-production-angelina-jolie/|title='Maleficent 2' Wraps Production|website=Comicbook.com|first=Cameron|last=Bonomolo|date=August 26, 2018|access-date=August 27, 2018|archive-date=June 4, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190604200607/https://comicbook.com/movies/2018/08/26/disney-maleficent-2-wraps-production-angelina-jolie/|url-status=live}} The film was released on October 18, 2019.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2019/03/angelina-jolie-sequel-maleficent-2-moves-up-to-fall-2019-1202570373/|title=Angelina Jolie Sequel 'Maleficent 2' Moves Up To Fall 2019|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Anthony|last=D'Alessandro|date=March 6, 2019|access-date=May 31, 2020|archive-date=March 7, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190307053930/https://deadline.com/2019/03/angelina-jolie-sequel-maleficent-2-moves-up-to-fall-2019-1202570373/|url-status=live}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Refbegin}}

• {{cite book|last=Solomon|first=Charles|title=Once Upon a Dream: From Perrault's Sleeping Beauty to Disney's Maleficent|publisher=Disney Editions|year=2014|isbn=978-1-4231-9902-1}}

{{Refend}}

{{wikiquote}}

• {{official website|http://movies.disney.com/maleficent}}
• {{IMDb title|1587310|Maleficent}}
• {{TCMDb title|892171|Maleficent}}
• {{mojo title|maleficient|Maleficent}}
• {{Metacritic film|title=Maleficent}}
• {{rotten-tomatoes|maleficent_2014|Maleficent}}
• {{DisneyAtoZ|title=Maleficent}}

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