Disney's 'Maleficent,' Starring Angelina Jolie, Gets a Director

Disney has tapped production designer Robert Stromberg ("Avatar," "Alice in Wonderland") to direct the live-action movie about Sleeping Beauty's evil foil "Maleficent," The Wrap has confirmed.

Touted as a modern take on the classic fairy tale, the fantasy is told from the viewpoint of Beauty's fairy godmother, to be played by Angelina Jolie. 

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It will mark Stromberg's directing debut.

"Maleficent" is written by Linda Woolverton, who also wrote the script for Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" and co-wrote the script for "The Lion King." Don Hahn, Joe Roth and Richard D. Zanuck produce.

The "Maleficent" news comes following the announcement that Disney had tapped another first-time director, Brian Beletic, for a Matterhorn-ride-inspired movie referred to as the "Untitled Explorers Project."

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