Great origin stories aren't limited to heroes. To name a couple of examples, if there's one thing Wicked and Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog demonstrated well (besides really great music), it's that villains can have interesting beginnings too, and stories well worth showcasing. Disney has plans to do just that for Maleficent, the villainous sorceress in the classic 1959 animated tale Sleeping Beauty. While the film isn't set to drive in theaters until March 2014, production began on the Robert Stromberg-directed film last week and we now have our first official look at star Angelina Jolie as the lead character.
Disney released this photo of Jolie in costume and make-up as Maleficent. We're given a slightly shadowed look at her profile, which shows off a severe looking cheekbone and very red lips, in addition to the headpiece that seems to match the one worn by the animated character on which she's based.
It may just be the lighting, but she's looking a lot less green than Disney's animated version of the character. That's not a complaint though. What doesn't show up so well in the resized version of the picture is the sort of rainbow look to her eye. It's almost like fish scales or something. Click the image above to see the bigger version of the photo to get a look at that.
Written by Linda Woolverton, Maleficent is described as "the untold story of Disney’s most beloved villain, Maleficent, from the 1959 classic Sleeping Beauty. The film reveals the events that hardened her heart and drove her to curse the baby, Aurora." In addition to Jolie, the film stars Elle Fanning, Imelda Staunton, Miranda Richardson, Juno Temple and Lesley Manville.
Maleficent is set to arrive in theaters with a 3D release March 14, 2014. More information can be found in our Blend Film Database.
