The ‘Maleficent’ Sequel Gets A New Poster And A New Release Date

Angelina Jolie has the kind of life a lazy actor dreams of: She acts whenever she likes, and in between gigs she does what she wants. What Jolie wants to do just happen to include heroic humanitarian work and directing movies about important subjects like the Khmer Rouge. So it’s hard for fans to complain that she hasn’t been seen on the big screen since 2015’s By the Sea, her underrated marriage saga starring her and then-husband Brad Pitt (filmed on their honeymoon, no less).

Jolie’s big live-action movie prior By the Sea, though, was Maleficent, the monster hit that depicted the villain of the classic Disney film Sleeping Beauty as a complex anti-hero with a highly empathetic backstory, and who isn’t killed by a goodly hero after turning into a giant, scary dragon. The sequel was a no-brainer, but it’s taken till today, nearly five years later, for us to even get a poster. The good news? We’ll be seeing the new Maleficent much sooner than previously expected.

Variety reports that the picture that’s now called Maleficent: Mistress of Evil has been pushed forward, from May 29 of next year to October 18 of this year. That will make it a little over five years after the first one came out and showcased the dynamic duo that was Jolie and live-action Disney reboots of their animated classics, even ones that don’t slavishly recreate the originals à la Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, and the forthcoming Lion King.

Oh, and yes, the poster:

Yes, it’s a lot likes some of the art work for the original, but whaddaya gonna do? Mistress of Evil will bring back alumni like Elle Fanning, Sam Riley, Imelda Staunton, Juno Temple, and Leslie Manville. It will also welcome newcomers like Michelle Pfeiffer, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Ed Skrein, and Harris Dickerson. Now, if only someone can coax Jolie to do a sequel to her third-to-most-recent live-action movie, a little blockbuster called Salt, all will be good.

(Via Variety)