Angelina Jolie starts shooting “Maleficent”

The Walt Disney Studios has recently announced that production on the feature film “Maleficent”, which stars Academy-winning actress Angelina Jolie, began on June 13.

The movie tells the untold story of Maleficent, the villain from 1959’s fairytale “Sleeping Beauty”, and reveals the events that made her to become one of Disney’s universe darkest characters- Sleeping Beauty’s evil enemy- and how she was driven to curse baby Aurora.

Two-time Oscar-winning production designer Robert Stromerg (“Avatar” and “Alice in Wonderland”) makes his directorial debut with this film, which is executive produced by Jolie herself, Don Hahn, Matt Smith and Palak Patel.

Imelda Stauton, Miranda Richards, “District 9” ’s Sharlton Cople, Sam Riley, Elle Fanning and Lesley Manville co-star.

Behind-the-scenes there is a strong line up including Oscar-winner cinematographer Dean Semler (“Dances with Wolfes”, “In the Land of Blood and Honey”), and “Saving Private Ryan” and “The Bourne Supremacy” ’s production designer Gary Freeman.

Anna B. Sheppard, doubly Oscar nominee for “The Schindler’s List” and “The Pianist” leads the costume designing team, while multi-awarded Rick Baker (“Planet of the Apes”, “Men in Black”) is responsible for make-up.

“Maleficent”, produced by Joe Roth and written by Linda Woolverton (“The Lion King”, “Beauty and the Beast”), will be released in 3D and is set to hit EUA theatres on March 14, 2014.