Angelina Jolie will grace cinemas again when her 2024 movie release, Maria, hits select theaters in November before being available to Netflix subscription holders in December. The biographical, psychological drama is right in the Oscar winner's wheelhouse, and early reviews have ushered praise on Jolie's performance as famous opera singer Maria Callas. As synonymous as Jolie is with dramas, some many wonder if she'd ever consider joining a rom-com. She just weighed in on that very possibility and mentioned Maleficent in the process.
While walking the red carpet for the LA premiere of Maria at AFI Film Fest, the actress and mother of six caught up with E! News, which shared a portion of the interview to Instagram. Given the chance to speak with Angelina Jolie, the entertainment company asked her if she’d ever consider starring in a romantic comedy. After carefully considering the question, the star explained how she believes Maleficent has already granted her that opportunity in some respects:
I don't know how good I'd be at a rom-com. I think Maleficent was the closest I got, I thought she was in love with Diaval. I thought it was a bit of a rom-com. I may have been on my own there.
Sorry, Ms. Jolie, but you’re definitely on your own with that opinion — at least, as far as I’m concerned. Maleficent may be one of Disney’s best live-action adaptations to date, but there is no way it would be considered a rom-com. Not only is it eerily dark for Disney standards, but it’s also extremely grim for a rom-com, which usually airs on the side of bright and cheery — hence the “comedy” aspect of the genre.
And, of course, there’s the obvious fact that Maleficent contains hardly any romantic relationships aside from the opening scenes that show the titular character falling in love with Stefan, only for him to betray her. Sure, she might grow close to Diaval later on, but their relationship appears to be more platonic, despite what the lead actress might think.
The funny thing is that Angelina Jolie has appeared in a handful of films that could be considered rom-coms. A fact fans were eager to point out in the comment section of the Instagram video mentioning 2005’s Mr. And Mrs. Smith and 2002’s Life or Something Like It. While not true rom-coms, they make a better argument than Maleficent does — though one can’t blame Jolie for not wanting to mention the 2005 action/comedy film considering its connection to her ex-husband, Brad Pitt.
Still, it’s mind-blowing that someone with the Eternals star's talent and decades in the industry has never appeared in a straight-up rom-com. Now, that the genre is on the rise — thanks to box office hit Anyone But You and other flicks — perhaps the Tony-winning producer will reconsider and stretch her acting chops in a fun and swoon-worthy movie for once. After all, if anyone can make the list of best romantic comedies of all time, it's Angelina Jolie!
While you help manifest such a project, check out Maria when it opens in select theaters on November 27, before it hits Netflix on December 1. Also, you can stream Maleficent with a Disney+ subscription and judge for yourself whether it mirrors a rom-com.
