The ‘Maleficent II’ Cast & Plot Has Been Revealed & Wow, It Looks Intense

The dark fairy queen is rising again. Disney has just revealed that filming is now underway on Maleficent II, the sequel to 2014's Maleficent. That first movie flipped the script on the classic Disney fairy tale Sleeping Beauty, retelling the magical story from the villain's perspective, and now the upcoming sequel will continue the story of Angelina Jolie's horned fairy. But since the new movie will no longer be based on the fairy tale we all know, fans might be asking: What is Maleficent II going to be about? Well, Disney has finally unveiled the plot summary, as well as the star-studded cast of new characters that are joining the movie, and all of this news is sure to get you pumped for Maleficent II.

Filming has just kicked off for Maleficent II, and Disney is finally filling us in on what the new movie will be about. As a reminder, 2014's Maleficent ended with the dark fairy getting her wings back after killing the king who betrayed her by cutting them off and saving his daughter, the princess Aurora, from her sleeping curse with her love. The new movie will take place a few years after the events of the first movie, as Aurora is about to become queen of the kingdom and Maleficent must continue to defend the magical woodland that she rules over. Check out the official plot synopsis below:

A fantasy adventure that picks up several years after Maleficent, in which audiences learned of the events that hardened the heart of Disney’s most notorious villain and drove her to curse a baby Princess Aurora, Maleficent II continues to explore the complex relationship between the horned fairy and the soon to be Queen, as they form new alliances and face new adversaries in their struggle to protect the moors and the magical creatures that reside within.

Of course, the two stars of Maleficent are back for the sequel. Elle Fanning (who reprises her role as Aurora) posted a selfie with Angelina Jolie (returning as Maleficent) in their costumes to announce their first day of filming.

And a bunch of exciting new faces are joining the Maleficent family in the sequel as well. Most notably, Michelle Pfeiffer will be playing a major role in the new movie as Queen Ingirth, who will probably be the true villain of the sequel, right? Disney announced Pfeiffer's central role in the upcoming movie by sharing a photo of Jolie, Fanning, and Pfeiffer's set chairs.

Also joining the Maleficent II cast are Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave, Doctor Strange), Ed Skrein (Deadpool, Game of Thrones), and Robert Lindsay (Galavant, My Family) in undisclosed roles. This marks Ejiofor's second major Disney live-action role that is currently filming — he is also playing the villainous lion Scar in 2019's The Lion King adaptation. Harris Dickinson is also joining the cast to play Prince Philip, taking over the role that Brendan Thwaites played in the first movie.

The Maleficent II cast is rounded out by a few more characters reprising their roles from the first movie. Imelda Staunton, Juno Temple, and Lesley Manville are back as Aurora's bumbling fairy guardians Knotgrass, Thistlewit, and Flittle, and Sam Riley returns as the human form of Maleficent's faithful crow Diaval.

Unfortunately, Disney did not reveal when fans can expect Maleficent II to come to theaters amidst all of this new information about the movie. Since filming is apparently only just beginning right now, and all that Disney magic is going to take a while to create in post-production, we will probably have to wait at least a year or maybe even two before Maleficent II premieres, but it already looks like it will definitely be worth the wait!