Disney released this poster today:
My conclusion: Disney's still got it! I think it's awesome that its willing to go so dark with one of the iconic, old-fashioned relics from the first Disney Golden Age. Personally, I think Sleeping Beauty has been long overlooked in the let's-reload-old-fairy-tales bandwagon. We've seen Cinderella stories ad nauseam (but, not that there's anything wrong with that). Beauty and the Beast has even gotten spoofed and its own CW update. And, as it turns out, 2012 was the year of the Snow White love fest. (Mirror, Mirror was a family-friendly, tongue-in-cheek homage to fairy tales with a quirky-delightful Bollywood dance number at the end-- Ned Stark dancing Bollywood?? OKAY! And, I might have been the only one who liked Snow White and the Huntsman, BUT I LIKED SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN. I think we have to give the always exceptional Charlize Theron some credit for breaking ground in what is sure to be a new trend in fleshing out villain stories from classic fairy tales.) Maybe it's because I recently saw Matthew Bourne's brilliant, gothic reimagining of the Sleeping Beauty ballet at New York City Center, but I'm totally re-embracing the age-old story of Aurora, an evil fairy witch, and the handsome prince who saves her with true love's kiss. (Prince Philip, btw, is on my short list for studly 'toon dudes. Just saying.)
Also, whose idea was it to cast Angelina in this?? Because, GENIUS. Seriously, just look at her.
So, the short of the long is this: I'm cautiously optimistic! Maleficent looks like it could be magnificently stylish and cool! Stay tuned for a review next summer....
