Telling & Teasing A Tale Of The Dark Fairy...

So we've now got a idea of what the world of "Maleficent" reveal to us...

And it looks a lot like the animated film. "Sleeping Beauty".  Only in live-action.  The one sheet we got yesterday was just a head shot of Jolie with horned headgear on full display.  The trailer was much more expansive, revealing a detail and quality that hopefully will be backed up by an equally impressive script.  And as that script was worked on by Paul Dini I have hope that it will be great considering Dini's strong stories involving female characters.

Time will tell...

First Look At A Dark Fairy...

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But is she a good, dark fairy, or a bad one...










Walt Disney Pictures, or as marketing calls it, Disney Pictures has something for you...

Your first look at Angelina Jolie as Maleficent has been released by the Mouse. And she looks like a very enchanted dark fairy. Still, I pictured her, more uhm, greenish? I am looking forward to seeing the sets and design of this world, particularly her castle. Will the film be good, stunning, a classic even?

We'll have to wait till 2014 to find out...

The Dark Fairy Flies...

She's a beauty...









So the "Sleeping Beauty" reinterpretation goes forward...

"Maleficent" starring Angelina Jolie will be before cameras as Maleficent in June in London.

Robert Stromberg (the production designer on Avatar, Alice in Wonderland) makes his directorial debut bringing the dark fairy to life in this revisionist tale of "Sleeping Beauty".

Linda Woolverton, who did the script for "Alice in Wonderland" (Not a sign of confidence with that) scripted the tale and the pivotal roll of Aurora is being rumored to be going to Elle Fanning.

I'll be interested in seeing what this film turns out to look like. Will it be great, horrible, or something in between?

Time will tell...

The Talent Pool...

The Mouse has a lot of big named talent developing projects right now...

The verdict on Rich Ross is still out and it'll be a year or more before we start seeing the results of his taste, but I'm quite surprised and curious as to the people that he's attached to films in the Disney future. Examples? Just off my fading memory:

20,000 Leagues Beneath the Sea - I would have never thought that David Fincher would adapt a family film classic like this with a script by screenwriter Scott Burns.

Oz the Great and Powerful - Sam Raimi is in line to direct this reinterpretation of the L. Frank Baum classic by Mitchell Kapner, that tells the story of how the Wizard became the Wizard. Currently, the script is being rewritten.

Oblivion - the graphic novel adaptation of Joseph Kosinski, Arvid Nelson and Andree Wallin is getting adapted by William Monahan as was announced last week.

The Black Hole - the re-envisioning of the cult Disney film, again by Joseph Kosinski, with Travis Beacham writing the new interpretation of the project.

The Cheapest Muppet Movie Ever Made - the dream project of Jason Segel, who is writing and will co-star with the famous frog and friends. The name is not final, nor financially accurate, btw.

John Carter of Mars - the adaptation of the classic sci-fi film, directed by Andrew Stanton with a screenplay by Michael Chabon and Stanton.

Frankenweenie - the full feature envisioning of Tim Burton's short film made while working at Walt Disney Studios in the late 70's/early 80's. Instead of live action, it'll be a stop motion feature in line with "The Nightmare Before Christmas" or "Corpse Bride." Hopefully, it'll be closer to Nightmare than Bride.

Malificent - the look back at the Sleeping Beauty tale as told from the villainess' point of view. Tim Burton reteams with Linda Woolverton, the screenwriter from his "Alice in Wonderland" sequel. Rumors are that Angelina Jolie is the desired actress to play the part, but until a script is finished, consider these rumors to be just that... rumors.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides - the fourth of the Pirates series featuring the further adventures of Captain Jack as he searches for the Fountain of Youth and dodges a flame from the past and her overly protective father (Blackbeard). Rob Marshall directs the film with a script by original screenwriters Terry Rossio and Ted Elliott.

And the list keeps growing...

The Other Side Of Sleeping Beauty...

Yes, please!


I suppose you've seen the rumors on the web about another possible Disney reinterpretation from Tim Burton...

I actually wrote a post that I never published on Aurora's Nemesis last year. I didn't get around to finishing it, so maybe I'll go back and find it sometime this year. But about that rumor, the one about Tim doing to "Sleeping Beauty" what he's done to "Alice in Wonderland." This time told from Maleficent's point of view. That would be a cool project to me. It certainly explains why the Mouse registered that "maleficentmovie.com" domain name last year.

But we have to remember that Burton is a very busy man and unless a hole frees up in his schedule then, even if it's true you won't be seeing this for four or five more years. He has that stop-motion animation project for Disney that is in pre-production right now and then there is "Dark Shadows" which is supposed to start filming later this year. Now, that movie has had many delays and it appears they're having script problems. That right there would be your opening, but that presumes that they already have a script for this twisted take on Sleeping Beauty. And then you have to ask, what part will Johnny Depp play? Prince Phillip? That said, the prospect of seeing the Dark Fairy turn into that purple dragon in live action sounds like an amazing night at the movies.

Now all they have to do is write it...

Maleficent Revealed...

The Disneyland Resort has released photos and a video of the new audio-animatronic Maleficent Dragon...



I have only one thing to say about it: "Frickin' Awesome!"

Hat Tip to the Orange County Register's Blog.

Sleeping Beauty Awakens...

Today Walt Disney's classic, "Sleeping Beauty" becomes available on DVD and Blu-Ray. When it came out at the time, it was a very expensive and ambitious project, yet it failed to make a profit for decades. It's a film that had Walt wondering if he was going to be able to keep making animated films...

The cost had just gotten so high and he was making a great deal of money just churning out cheaper live-action fare. Although the story isn't the best Disney produced, the production values are spectacular here. Of particular note is the backgrounds which are arguably the best of any animated film, Disney or otherwise. Add to that, the most iconic and greatest Disney villain ever created, Maleficent, and you've got one heck of a reason to grab a snack, a drink, settle down in a comfy chair and pop this little gem in your player.

Go out and get a copy today. And may I suggest you get the Blu-Ray even if you don't own it. Why? Because it comes with a copy of the DVD as well, so you'll have a copy to watch now, and in the near future when you buy a new Blu-Ray player you won't have to repurchase another copy just to experience the stunning beauty of Sleeping Beauty in hi-def...