Angelina Joliewas at one point, not that long ago, one of the most sought-after and highest-paid actresses in Hollywood. On Disney’sMaleficent, she was able to command a massive $20 million payday as well as some backend, which is no small feat. She has since turned her attention toward smaller projects and directing, but it looks like her next big role could be a return as theiconic Disney villaininMaleficent 2.
The Hollywood Reporterrecently ran a pretty in-depth feature onAngelina Jolieand where her career is headed. According to the report, she currently has a few acting projects in the works after spending a few years mostly behind the camera. Her only acting gigs of late were inBy The SeaandKung Fu Panda 3. Per THR, she is now looking to get back in the game with a pair of large-scale projects currently in development at Universal, which includeCatherine the Great and Potemkin: The Imperial Love Affair, and a World War II spy drama calledThe Spy Who Loved, based onClare Mulley’s book of the same name. But perhaps the most interesting bit is that Disney wants her to come back forMaleficent 2, which could wind up being her next project.
Disney has had a staggering amount of success with live-action reimaginings of their classic tales.Maleficent, which came out in 2014, was one of the early examples of this. The movie brought in an incredibly impressive $758 million worldwide. Disney gave the green light toMaleficent 2a while back, but movement on the project has been slow. AssumingAngelina Joliedoes decide that is going to be her next acting gig, things will probably move forward fairly quickly. As far as live-action adaptations go, Disney is preparing to releaseBeauty and the Beastnext month, with the live-actionMulanset for release in November 2018. They are also working on a live-actionLittle Mermaid,The Jungle Book 2andThe Lion King, as well asDumbowith directorTim Burton, who directed the very successfulAlice in Wonderland.
While no specific release date has been nailed down forMaleficent 2, sometime in 2019 would seem like a realistic expectation at this point. The studio has a release date pegged for an untitled project on July 16, 2025, which could be a good place for it. As far as directing goes, which is what she has been focusing on,Angelina Jolierecently held a premiere for her upcoming Netflix movieFirst They Killed My Father, which will arrive on the streaming service later this year in addition to getting an awards qualifying theatrical run. She is also reportedly prepping an adaptation ofAlessandro Baricco’s novel about the brutality of war,Without Blood. Disney hasn’t made mention of a director forMaleficent 2, so maybe they could persuade her to double up for the sequel.
THR’s report also confirmed that her in development rhino poaching movieAfricais all but scrapped. The movie was supposed to star her ex-husbandBrad Pitt, but the movie apparently got a little out of control budget wise, which caused the project to fall apart. Her directorial effortUnbrokendid pretty well at the box office, grossing $163 million, but it didn’t get the awards season love that she and Universal were likely hoping for. That may motivate her to get back in front of the camera in something likeMaleficent 2, which could help give her name a big boost.
Maleficent 2may wind up beingAngelina Jolie’s next movie, but one last thing that the report from THR noted was that Universal’sBride of Frankensteinremake, which she has been attached to for quite some time, is still a very long way off. They haven’t even hired a writer for the movie. No matter what her next project winds up being, it is clear thatAngelina Jolieis making her next moves carefully, since she reportedly turned downWanted 2andSalt 2, which probably would have been nice paydays for her. ButDisneyis a safe bet at this point, so that is probably why theMouse Housewas able to coax her back for a sequel.
