Maleficent: Mistress of Evil is a sequel to 2013's
Maleficent and sees Angelina Jolie reprise the titular role — as well as the return of Elle Fanning as Princess Aurora and introduction of Michelle Pfiefer as Queen Ingris.
The live-action Disney film recently arrived in theatres and,
despite decent predictions by box office experts, faltered with only a $36 million opening weekend.
The sequel screened in 3,790 theaters and its gross was more than 45% behind the $69.4 million that its predecessor opened to six years ago. Months back, there were
predictions that the sequel would perform as unsuccessfully as it has thus far.
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil currently holds the record for the year's lowest-grossing opening weekend for a Disney film. Disney can only hope that the film thrives in the foreign markets as the first
Maleficent film did — having made 68% of its total gross outside of the United States. It will certainly be interesting to see how the sequel's total gross compares to its $185 million budget.
The years have been kind to Maleficent and Aurora. Their relationship, born of heartbreak, revenge and ultimately love, has flourished. Yet the hatred between man and the fairies still exists. Aurora’s impending marriage to Prince Phillip is cause for celebration in the kingdom of Ulstead and the neighboring Moors, as the wedding serves to unite the two worlds. When an unexpected encounter introduces a powerful new alliance, Maleficent and Aurora are pulled apart to opposing sides in a Great War, testing their loyalties and causing them to question whether they can truly be family.
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil is in theatres now!