14 DAY TRIAL // The 2014 live-action Disney movie “Maleficent” was very expensive to make and didn’t get reviews as positive as industry analysts were counting on. Nonetheless, it went on to make a fortune at the box office and that alone is reason enough for the studio to greenlight a sequel.
Indeed, “Maleficent 2” is in the works as we speak at Disney, Deadline has learned. The studio has hired Linda Woolverton to handle the script, which means that the project is in very early stages. In turn, this means that it will be another while until the film comes out in theaters.
Apparently, the idea for the script is to have it custom-made for Jolie, whom Disney hopes to woo back. Of course, that will mean offering her a higher paycheck and a good story to make it worth her while, especially in the context of her saying she planned on taking fewer roles in order to be able to focus on her directing work.
Perhaps more worrying is that not once did Jolie show any indication that she approached the role thinking that it would have a continuation. Jolie was also famously in talks for “Salt 2” and “Wanted 2,” which even entered actual development at one point, and she still didn’t do them.
Getting Jolie to appear in a sequel is a tricky and very complicated business, and it’s clear that “Maleficent 2” can’t exist without her since she plays the titular character. If Disney can’t get her on board with this, the best they can come up with to save the day and still capitalize on the franchise is to order a spinoff sans Jolie.