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is the next installment in Walt Disney Pictures鈥� digital era live-action fairy tale movie series, which began with Tim Burton鈥檚 Alice in Wonderland and continued to enjoy success (though not as much $ucce$$) with Sam Raimi鈥檚 Oz the Great and Powerful earlier this year. However, the Mouse House鈥檚 Sleeping Beauty film doesn鈥檛 have an A-list director; it鈥檚 banking on the name of its leading lady, Oscar-winner Angelina Jolie.

Jolie stars as the eponymous malevolent fairy in the film, which introduces us to Maleficent as a teenager (played by Kick-Ass 2 costar Ella Purnell) and examines her experiences growing up. That includes, the events that hardened her heart and drove her to curse the innocent Princess Aurora (Elle Fanning), as retribution for the wrongful acts that she had suffered over the years.

Basically, Maleficent is Disney鈥檚 revisionist take on the classic Sleeping Beauty story, as told from the perspective of its villainess; it鈥檚 what Wicked is to The Wizard of Oz. The screenplay was penned by Linda Woolverton 鈥� writer of Disney鈥檚 animated Beauty and the Beast, Mulan and Burton鈥檚 Alice retelling 鈥� with additional material provided by John Lee Hancock (co-writer of Snow White and the Huntsman and director of ).

Maleficent is the directorial debut for Oscar-winning production designer and visual effects artist, Robert Stromberg (Avatar, Alice in Wonderland). Indeed, the film鈥檚 teaser trailer footage is as lush and gorgeously dark as one might imagine, based on its director鈥檚 background. Moreover, the scenery appears to be a healthy blend of practical sets and stylized digital elements, creating the impression of a world that is all too real and fantastical at once.

Based on what little is shown here, Jolie seems to be channeling the vocal mannerisms of Eleanor Audley, who voiced Maleficent in Disney鈥檚 animated Sleeping Beauty feature; a fine decision, if that鈥檚 the case. Similarly, Fanning looks to be wise casting too, as far as her playing a princess for the 21st-century (read: more grounded version of Aurora). And this teaser doesn鈥檛 even feature the other members of the film鈥檚 reputable cast, which includes Sharlto Copley (), Miranda Richardson (), Imelda Staunton (), Peter Capaldi () and Juno Temple ().

Of course, whether Maleficent will have the narrative substance to go along with the eye candy and excellent cast, is another matter. Painting villains in a more sympathetic light is in fashion right now, as the popularity of characters such as Loki in the movies is a testament to. There鈥檚 certainly potential for Jolie鈥檚 evil fairy to wind up being a compelling Shakespearean tragedy case study, but as always we鈥檒l have to wait and see鈥�

Sandy Schaefer blogs at .