'Maleficent 2' Release Date, Latest News: Disney Taps 'Spectre' Screenwriter to Rewrite Script for Sequel
Production for the sequel to the first "Maleficent" movie is said to be getting underway, and new reports suggest that it has gotten itself a new scriptwriter.
According to reports, "Spectre" screenwriter Jez Butterworth has been tapped to revise the original screenplay for the follow-up film, which was originally written by Linda Woolverton.
Disney confirmed "Maleficent 2" in 2015, but no solid updates about its development have been dropped since then. Previously, it was reported that Woolverton was working on the screenplay for the upcoming film. She was also the one who wrote the first film but is currently busy with another Disney project, the live-action movie adaptation of "The Lion King," hence the appointment of Butterworth.
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Although pre-production updates on "Maleficent 2" are few and far between, Butterworth's appointment only goes to show that the project is not dead. In fact, reports say that he is now rewriting the existing script for the sequel to make an updated version that will be used for the movie. He will reportedly work with "Maleficent's" original producer, Joe Roth, for the sequel.
"Maleficent 2" is not Butterworth's first project with Disney. Previously, he wrote the screenplay of "Cruella," a new live-action take on "101 Dalmatians." He also has well-regarded projects under his belt, including studio movies like "Spectre" and "Edge of Tomorrow."
Disney has yet to confirm the cast of the next "Maleficent" film, but Angelina Jolie will reportedly be still onboard. In a previous interview, the actress, who top-billed the first film, said that she was willing to do the second film provided that her current timetable and humanitarian work fit with the shooting schedule.
"Maleficent" was released in theaters in 2014 and starred Jolie, who played the role of the witch from the Disney classic "Sleeping Beauty." While "Sleeping Beauty" highlighted the dark side of the character, "Maleficent" explored her background and brought to light her kind and sympathetic heart.
