Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (2019)
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Maleficent must confront the neighboring kingdom's perception of her as a villain while navigating the rise of a powerful, endangered fairy race.
The story
Five years after the events of the first film, Aurora reigns as Queen of the Moors with Maleficent as her protector. However, the neighboring kingdom of Ulstead, ruled by the power-hungry Queen Ingrith, views Maleficent as a dangerous threat. When Aurora prepares to marry Prince Philip of Ulstead, the tension between the two lands escalates. Maleficent must navigate the political hostility of the neighboring kingdom while a secret, powerful race of fairies known as the Dark Fey begins to emerge from hiding, creating a complex situation for both the Moors and the kingdom of Ulstead.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Five years after King Stefan's death, Aurora rules the Moors with Maleficent as her protector. When Aurora accepts a marriage proposal from Prince Philip of Ulstead, Maleficent warns her against the union. During a celebratory dinner hosted by Philip's parents, Queen Ingrith taunts Maleficent, leading to a confrontation where Maleficent's actions cause King John to fall into a slumber. Maleficent is subsequently wounded by an iron bullet and rescued by the Dark Fey, a hidden race of powerful fairies. Maleficent is revealed to be the last descendant of the Phoenix. Meanwhile, Aurora discovers Ingrith's plot to use a lethal powder to eliminate the Moor folk. During a battle at the castle, the Dark Fey are attacked, and Maleficent channels the Phoenix's power. After a desperate struggle, Maleficent is struck by a powder-tipped arrow and dissolves into ash, only to be revived by Aurora's tears. Following a final confrontation where Ingrith is transformed into a goat, Maleficent destroys the cursed spindle, awakens King John, and returns to the Moors with the Dark Fey.
- First release year
- 2019
- Runtime (minutes)
- 119
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Joachim Rønning
- Writers
- Linda Woolverton · writer; Noah Harpster · writer; Micah Fitzerman-Blue · writer
- Cast and characters
- Angelina Jolie · Maleficent; Elle Fanning · Aurora; Michelle Pfeiffer · Queen Ingrith; Sam Riley · Diaval; Chiwetel Ejiofor · Conall; Ed Skrein · Borra; Harris Dickinson · Prince Philip; Robert Lindsay · King John; David Gyasi · Percival; Jenn Murray · Gerda; Juno Temple · Thistlewit; Lesley Manville · Flittle
- Genres
- fantasy; adventure
- Themes
- motherhood; prejudice; power
- Tone and mood
- dark; fantasy
- Premise and plot tags
- sequel; fairy tale; fantasy
- Source material / true-story basis
- Disney's Sleeping Beauty
- Franchise connections
- Maleficent
- Reception
- The film received mixed-to-negative reviews from critics, who praised the performances of Jolie, Fanning, and Pfeiffer, while criticizing the "muddled" plot and "overly artificial" visuals.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 40% · scale: percentage; Metacritic · score: 43 · scale: 100 · review count: 40; CinemaScore · score: A · scale: A+ to F; PostTrak · score: 4.5 · scale: 5
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Makeup and Hairstyling · nomination
- Production trivia
- The film features a score by Geoff Zanelli, who replaced James Newton Howard from the previous film.; The film's visual effects included a red powder-like substance that was inspired by explosions in Berlin during World War II.; A third film in the series is currently in development.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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