Maleficent: Mistress of Evil

Maleficent: Mistress of Evil picks up years after Aurora's curse was broken, as Maleficent and her goddaughter enjoy a fragile peace. When Aurora announces an engagement that would tie her to the human royal family, competing loyalties start to strain their bond. Political maneuvering, shifting alliances, and the emergence of a darker threat push them toward different choices. Old wounds reopen, secrets about Maleficent's past surface, and each woman must weigh love, power, and protection without losing sight of who they are. The film keeps its central relationship at the core, balancing fairyland spectacle with palace intrigue and moody confrontations, all while avoiding spoilers about how those tensions resolve. Angelina Jolie and Elle Fanning return, anchoring the drama and intensity.

Released in 2019 and directed by Joachim Rønning, the sequel was produced by Walt Disney Pictures. It draws on Charles Perrault's Sleeping Beauty and credits Joe Rinaldi and Milt Banta as writers, with Angelina Jolie and Elle Fanning leading cast.

The sequel reached a wide audience worldwide, performing strongly enough to confirm ongoing interest in the Maleficent story. Its commercial success helped justify further franchise development, even as some viewers and critics continued to debate the film's pacing and plotting.

Visually, Maleficent's horned silhouette and costume became a standout modern image of a sympathetic villain, influencing Halloween costumes, fan art, and cosplay communities. Jolie's performance consolidated Maleficent as a pop culture figure, while discussions around motherhood, otherness, reconciliation, and identity kept the film in online fandom conversations for years after.

Critics and audiences gave mixed to positive responses, reflected in a vote average of 7.301/10 from 6,367 votes, with praise for visual design and lead performances, and criticism aimed at script and pacing. Major themes include family allegiance, prejudice between peoples, the costs of power, and the complexity of forgiveness.