For those Disney fans who think
that many of the live-action adaptations of their classic animated film canon are
rather slavishly similar to the originals that it begs the question why they bothered
to remake, there are other films with only the loose ties to the movies they
came from. The Tim Burton-directed “Alice in Wonderland” films with Johnny Depp
as the Mad Hatter is one example. The 2014 dark fantasy “Maleficent,” based on
1959’s “Sleeping Beauty” and starring Angelina Jolie, is another. It now has a
sequel, subtitled “Mistress of Evil,” due later this year. And after an initial
teaser last May, a longer trailer has come this week.
Entertainment Weekly tells us that Disney has brought out another
advance preview of “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil” to show the circumstances in
the continuing story between the titular dark fairy and her shadowy protection
over the princess-turned queen that she once put into an enchanted sleep.
Whereas the 2014 movie was a subversive adaptation of the animated film and its
fairy tale source, the sequel looks to expand the setting from the personal
atmosphere of its predecessor to a medieval fantasy epic that is like a
kids-rated “Game of Thrones.”
This second trailer for “Mistress
of Evil” treads a few themes from the initial teaser. Maleficent (Jolie) is the
protector and maternal figure of Princess Aurora (Elle Fanning) who rules both
her kingdom and the Moors, the realm of enchanted creatures where Maleficent
hails from. She also has help from her love interest Phillip (Harris Dickinson
taking over for Brenton Thwaites), Prince of a neighboring human kingdom, and
they are betrothed to marry despite Maleficent’s reservations. Unfortunately
Phillip’s parents, especially Queen Ingrith (Michelle Pfeiffer) have touched
some raw nerves by questioning the fairy’s nature. And when Aurora sides with
her fiancée and future in-laws, there is no recourse but war.
A tagline in the trailer reads “Go
beyond the fairy tale,” and the sequel certainly does. In an effort to forcibly
take back Aurora from Phillip’s kingdom Maleficent mobilizes the fairies of the
Moors to march in conflict. This reinforces Ingrith’s public opinion of Aurora’s
guardian, and their kingdom lookss perfectly ready to fight back with plenty of
iron weaponry – fatal to magical creatures – on hand. One scene even shows a
flying Maleficent being pierced by iron arrows and falling from the air, though
of course she must survive that.
“Maleficent: Mistress of Evil”
also stars Robert Lindsay, Ed Skrein, Sam Riley and Chiwetel Ejiofor in a
surprise appearance as a new fairy similar to Maleficent, and who rescues her
from her fall and injury. He ominously states that the fairies, which cared for
men, must now care for themselves. Ejiofor also voices Scar in the “Lion King”
remake this July, while “Mistress of Evil premieres this coming October 18.
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