The re-imaging of fairy tales continues as Disney has announced that they have added 6 more to the cast list of ‘Maleficent.’
Not too long ago Angelina Jolie had announced that she would be playing the title role in the ‘Wicked’-esque version of the classic ‘Sleeping Beauty’ tale aptly named ‘Maleficent.’ The film will be exploring the origins of the evil fairy Maleficent and what the real reason was that caused her to curse Princess Aurora, who will be played by the innocent looking Elle Fanning.
Joining the already impressive cast will be Imelda Staunton (“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1’, ‘Doctor Who’, ‘Alice In Wonderland’), Miranda Richardson (‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1’, ‘Merlin’, ‘Sleepy Hollow’), Sam Riley (‘Law & Order: SVU’), Lesley Manville (‘A Christmas Carol’, ‘Law & Order: UK’), Kenneth Cranham (‘Upstairs, Downstairs’,’Valkyrie’, ‘Merlin’) and India Eisley (‘Underworld: Awakening’, ‘The Secret Life of the American Teenager’).
According to THR, here’s the run down on who’s playing what:
* Staunton and Manville will be playing Knotgrass and Flittle, respectively. They are two of the three pixies in the original Disney film who end up taking care of Aurora.
* Richardson will play Queen Ulla, a fairy queen who is Maleficent’s regal aunt and very much dislikes her niece.
* Riley has the magical role Diaval, a raven who changes into human form and is Maleficent’s right hand.
* Cranham will play the human king who plots to conquer the fairy kingdom.
* India Eisley will play a young version of Maleficent. She will appear in the opening act which will establish the character’s role in the kingdom’s hierarchy.
From the sound of all the roles, it appears that this film will be on the same grand scale as ‘Snow White and the Huntsman.’ Filming is set to begin next month at Pinewood Studios in the UK and the special effects alone required for the actors already points to an epic movie. It’s no wonder that ‘Maleficent’ isn’t slated to be released until March 14, 2014. By that time, movie goers may just be ready for another revisionist fairy tale!
