Maleficent is a 2014 American dark fantasy adventure film directed by Robert Stromberg from a screenplay by Linda Woolverton. The film stars Angelina Jolie as the title character, with Sharlto Copley, Elle Fanning, Sam Riley, Imelda Staunton, Juno Temple and Lesley Manville in supporting roles.
Loosely inspired by Charles Perrault’s original fairy tale, the film is a live-action retelling of Walt Disney’s 1959 animated film Sleeping Beauty, and portrays the story from the perspective of the eponymous antagonist, depicting her conflicted relationship with the king and princess of a corrupt kingdom.
Walt Disney Pictures announced the film’s development in 2010, with Joe Roth as producer and Jolie, Don Hahn, and Michael Vieira as executive producers. Principal photography took place between June and October 2012. A special screening for the film took place at Kensington Palace in London on May 9, 2014.
Maleficent premiered at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood on May 28, 2014, and was released in the United Kingdom that same day. The film was released in the United States on May 30, 2014 in the Disney Digital 3D, RealD 3D and IMAX 3D formats, as well as in conventional theaters. The film received mixed reviews from critics, earning praise for Jolie’s performance, the costumes, visual effects and musical score, while criticism was aimed at the script and some inconsistencies in tone.
Maleficent was a commercial success, grossing over $758 million worldwide, and became the fourth-highest-grossing film of 2014 as well as the highest-grossing film starring Jolie. The film received an Academy Award nomination for Best Costume Design at the 87th Academy Awards. A sequel, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, was released in 2019.
