For a long time, the only thing we’ve really, truly known about Disney’s revisionist angle on Sleeping Beauty, Maleficent, is that it’ll take the titular fairy’s side and that Angelina Jolie will star. The film locked in a director with Robert Stromberg and there were rumours of Elle Fanning as Princess Aurora recently, but now there is another name for the mix, as Sharlto Copley is in negotiations to sign on.
Copley, who has been lining up all sorts of roles this week, will be King Stefan, the father of Aurora, and one of the people affected when Maleficent curses her. Given the casting of the District 9 star, you’ve got to figure this means Stefan will be given an expanded role in the story, because we can’t believe anyone casts Copley to just show up and wear a crown for a few days before falling asleep.
Stromberg, a veteran production designer from the likes of Avatar and Alice In Wonderland, is even now setting up the film’s shoot in Blighty, working from Alice writer Linda Woolverton’s script. He’s set to start cranking the cameras next month, aiming for a March 2014 release date.