Everything about The Fighter just screams Disney. Last year’s Best Picture nominee—starring Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale in his most awesome performance that involves no rappelling—was gritty, biting, and focused on crack. So, the film’s director David O. Russell, might seem like an unusual choice for a live-action retelling of Sleeping Beauty in the upcoming Disney film Maleficent.
Those familiar with Russell’s past work—particularly the upbeat acid-trip compiled exclusively of loose ends, I Heart Huckabees, might recognize the director’s versatility. One consistency Russell does display is casting Wahlberg, who appeared in both The Fighter and Huckabees, as well as Russell’s Three Kings, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if Dirk Diggler himself ends up playing Prince Charming.
Those involved thus far include Angelina Jolie as the Witch, from whose perspective the film’s story is told, and screenwriter Linda Woolverton, a Disney legend responsible for The Lion King, Mulan, and (we’ll forgive her for this one) Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland. Burton himself was attached to direct originally, but his departure potentially leaves the project in Russell’s hands. So, at least we won’t have to worry about another piece of our childhood turned into a paint-spattered Depp-a-thon.
Source: Hollywood Reporter
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