District 9 acting genius Sharlto Copley may be about to take a regal lead role in Disney's forthcoming Maleficent...
Sleeping Beauty is one of Disney's most loved animated features, and Maleficent will be the studio's return to one of its proudest artistic moments - this time, as the title suggests, told from the perspective of that film's 'mistress of all evil', the sorceress Maleficent.
Designed by Marc Davis and voiced by Eleanor Audley, Maleficent's one of Disney's finest antagonists, with her purple-and-black ensemble and ever-present familiar, Diablo.
In the live-action Maleficent movie, Angelina Jolie's confirmed to play the title role, while the latest reports have revealed that District 9's Sharlto Copley will play King Stefan, the father of Princess Aurora - the unfortunate girl who falls victim to Maleficent's wicked curse.
Directing duties will be handled by former production designer Robert Stomberg, whose previous credits include Avatar and Alice In Wonderland. There have been rumours that Elle Fanning might be playing Aurora, but that hasn't yet been confirmed. But with the movie not due for release until March 2014, we're sure to here lots more about Maleficent over the next few months.
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