‘Maleficent’ Sequel in the Works

Actress Angelina Jolie had a very successful 2014 with a pair of hit movies, the Disney live-action adaptation of the Sleeping Beauty villain Maleficent and her second directorial effort Unbroken, based on the true story of Olympian Louis Zamperini. The former movie appears to be getting a sequel. According to Deadline, Disney has begun moving toward a sequel to Maleficent, which Jolie starred as the winged title character. The studio has gathered Linda Woolverton to write the sequel, and the studio is said to be keeping Jolie in the loop and that the sequel will be written for her to reprise.

Director Robert Stromberg, who made his directorial debut with the first movie after transitioning as an Oscar-winning production designer, has not been confirmed for the sequel. It's not surprising that another Maleficent would be a major priority for the studio’s revisionist fairy tale line up. It was a pricey film at a reported $180 million, but the movie grossed nearly $760 million worldwide. The original movie was a big hit, thanks to the performance and presence Jolie gave to the title character. We shall see if the sequel can replicate the massive success of the first feature.