Maleficent: Mistress of Evil is a 2019 American fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Pictures. Directed by Joachim Rønning from a screenplay written by Linda Woolverton, Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster, it is a sequel to Maleficent (2014), with Angelina Jolie returning to portray the title role. Elle Fanning, Sam Riley, Imelda Staunton, Juno Temple, and Lesley Manville also return to their previous roles, with Harris Dickinson replacing Brenton Thwaites from the first film and Chiwetel Ejiofor, Ed Skrein, and Michelle Pfeiffer joining the cast as new characters. Set five years after Maleficent, the film sees the eponymous character face the neighboring kingdom's manipulated perception of herself as a villain, in addition to a subplot of the rise of an endangered, powerful fairy race known as the Dark Fae.
After the release of the first film in May 2014, Jolie stated a sequel was possible. The project was officially announced the following June. Jolie signed on in April 2016. Rønning, who co-directed Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017) for Disney, was hired to direct the film in October 2017. The rest of the cast was added/confirmed in May 2018, with filming beginning that month at Pinewood Studios in England, lasting through August.
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil was released in the United States on October 18, 2019. The film grossed $491 million worldwide, although it needed to make around $500 million in order to make a profit when factoring in total budget, marketing and distribution costs. It received mixed reviews from critics, with criticism aimed at the "muddled plot and overly artificial visuals", but praise for the performances of Jolie, Fanning and Pfeiffer. The film received an Academy Award nomination for Best Makeup and Hairstyling at the 92nd Academy Awards. A third film is currently in development.
Plot[]
In the five years since King Stefan's death, Aurora has reigned as Queen of the Moors and Maleficent as its guardian and protector. Despite her service, the neighboring kingdom of Ulstead, home to Prince Phillip, deems Maleficent a villain. Diaval, Maleficent's raven and confidant, overhears Phillip proposing to Aurora. When he relays this to Maleficent, she advises against the union, though Aurora vows to prove her wrong.
Phillip's parents, King John and Queen Ingrith, host an intimate dinner. Maleficent maintains her composure after Ingrith tauntingly mentions the sleeping curse once placed on Aurora, and recalls King Stefan's death. She openly claims Maleficent killed two human fairy poachers last seen near the Moors. When Ingrith carelessly dismisses Maleficent's maternal bond with Aurora, Maleficent reacts angrily and seemingly curses John, who suddenly falls into a deep slumber. Maleficent proclaims she did not curse him, though Aurora disbelieves her. Phillip urges his mother to try and awaken the King with a kiss. Ingrith resists, and her weak attempt fails because she does not love John. As Maleficent flees the castle, Ingrith's servant, Gerda, shoots Maleficent with an iron bullet.
Wounded, Maleficent falls into the ocean and is rescued by a mysterious winged creature. She awakens in a cavern where fairies like herself have been in hiding. Among them is Conall, their peaceful leader who saved Maleficent, and Borra, a warlike fairy who favors open conflict with humans and killed the poachers near the Moors. Maleficent is among the last creatures known as Dark Phoenix Fae, powerful fairies forced into hiding and nearly driven extinct by human oppression. She is also the last descendant from the Phoenix, an ancient and powerful Dark Fae ancestor. Because Maleficent's magic is so powerful, Conall and Borra believe she is instrumental in ending the conflict with humans, either by peace or war.
Meanwhile, Aurora grows disillusioned with being an Ulstead noblewoman but is happy that the Moor denizens are invited to the royal wedding. Aurora discovers that Ingrith hates all Moor fairy folk, bitterly resenting their prosperity during a time when her kingdom had suffered and blaming them for her brother's death. Ingrith secretly plots to eradicate all fairies and woodland beings using iron weapons and a lethal crimson powder developed by Lickspittle, a de-winged pixie. Aurora also learns that it was Ingrith who cursed John, using Maleficent's old cursed spindle. Ingrith finds out and has Aurora imprisoned. When the Moor folk arrive, they are trapped inside the castle's chapel. At Ingrith's command, Gerda unleashes the deadly crimson powder by playing the chapel's organ. The fairy Flittle selflessly sacrifices herself to save everyone as a last resort by clogging the organ, rendering the organ unplayable, while fairies Knotgrass and Thistlewit cause Gerda to fall to her death.
The Dark Fae launch an assault on Ulstead but soldiers begin massacring them until Maleficent, channeling the Phoenix power, joins the battle. She nearly kills Queen Ingrith but Aurora appeals to Maleficent's humanity to spare her, and declares that only Maleficent is her mother. With Maleficent distracted, the Queen fires her crossbow. Maleficent saves Aurora, but is struck by the arrow, dissolving into ashes. Devastated, Aurora mourns over Maleficent's death. However, as Aurora's tears fall on the ashes, Maleficent is reborn as a Phoenix. Terrified, Ingrith throws Aurora off the tower to distract Maleficent and runs away. Maleficent saves her. Ingrith is stopped by Borra and the other Dark Fae as she tries to escape.
Phillip forges peace between the fairies and humans and the Ulstead soldiers stand down. Maleficent reverts to her fairy form and gives Aurora and Phillip her blessing. Upon receiving it from Lickspittle, Maleficent destroys the spindle and its curse, awakening John from his slumber. As punishment for her crimes, Ingrith is transformed into a goat by Maleficent, until she can accept the peace between the two peoples.
After Aurora and Philip are wed, Maleficent returns to the Moors with the other Dark Fae. She promises to return for the christening of Aurora and Phillip's future child.
Cast[]
- Angelina Jolie as Maleficent, a Dark Fae and the former ruler of the Moors; Aurora's adoptive mother.
- Elle Fanning as Aurora, the current ruler of the Moors; Maleficent's adoptive daughter; Prince Phillip's wife.
- Michelle Pfeiffer as Queen Ingrith, the power-hungry Queen of Ulstead, John's wife and Phillip's mother, who despises Maleficent and Aurora.
- Chiwetel Ejiofor as Conall, a Dark Fae that rescues Maleficent.
- Sam Riley as Diaval, a raven that is given human form by Maleficent.
- Ed Skrein as Borra, a Dark Fae that leads the attack on Ulstead.
- Harris Dickinson as Prince Phillip, the Prince of Ulstead and Aurora's husband. He was portrayed by Brenton Thwaites in the first film.
- Imelda Staunton as the voice and motion-capture of Knotgrass, a red fairy.
- Juno Temple as the voice and motion-capture of Thistlewit, a green fairy.
- Lesley Manville as the voice and motion-capture of Flittle, a blue fairy.
- Robert Lindsay as King John, the King of Ulstead. The character is briefly mentioned by Prince Phillip in the first film.
- Warwick Davis as Lickspittle, a de-winged pixie who reluctantly works for Queen Ingrith.
- Jenn Murray as Gerda, a woman who is loyal to Queen Ingrith.
- David Gyasi as Percival, the captain of the guards who works for the Ulstead Royal Family.
- Judith Shekoni as Shrike, a Jungle Fae.
- Miyavi as Udo, a Tundra Fae.
- Kae Alexander as Ini, a Desert Fae.
- Aline Mowat as the Narrator.
- Emma Maclennon as the voice and motion-capture of Pinto, a hedgehog-like creature.
- Maclennon also provides the voice and motion-capture of Button.
- John Carew as Jungle Warrior Fae.
- Freddie Wise as Young Peasant.