totalfilm:

First official image of Angelina Jolie as Maleficent revealed

Disney has unveiled the first official image of Angelina Jolie as Maleficent, the wicked fairy who was the big bad in Sleeping Beauty.

Continuing the trend of reinventing fairytales for the cinema (which has seen sizeable box office returns for Alice In Wonderland and Snow White And The Huntsman), Maleficent is pitching itself as the untold story…

This is the very first I’ve heard about this and I have to say that I’m intrigued. While I thought Alice in Wonderland was only half-decent and I haven’t seen Snow White and The Huntsman, the idea of a re-imagining of Sleeping Beauty sparks my interest.

The idea to focus on Maleficent and the reasons behind her fall into darkness is a very interesting standpoint to work from because, simply, Maleficent is the only interesting character in the whole fairytale. Come on, Aurora and the prince were completely devoid of any characteristics and while the fairy godmothers had more character, their entire motivation is based around Aurora.

This film will give us an entirely new aspect to the tale and doesn’t carry any demands for a sympathetic villain. We already know she’s evil, they can make her as nasty, spiteful and villainous as they please.

Interested. Very interested indeed.