The summer blockbuster season has well and truely begun with the release of
X-Men Days of Future Past and
Godzilla. Before other high profile releases such as Transformers sequel
Age of Extinction and Marvel's
Guardians of the Galaxy, Disneys latest release is
Maleficent starring Angelina Jolie. The movie has so far recieved fairley positive reviews making it look likely to open at just over $60 million according to THR predictions.
Other new releases this week include A Million ways to Die in The West which is written and directed by Family Guy and Ted creater, Seth Mcfarlane. The western style comedy is expected to earn around $25m million in box office takings.
However, despite competition from Seth Mcfarlane, X-Men Days of Future Past looks likely to finish in second place and is rumoured to gross another $38-$40 million following a huge $110.7 million memorial weekend haul.
Maleficent is likely to benefit from a female and a young girl audience following a succession of male orientated movies with Godzilla, The Amazing Spiderman 2 and X-Men Days of Future Past whilst Million Ways to Die may struggle with westerns being a hard sell to most audiences.
“Maleficent” is the untold story of Disney’s most iconic villain from the 1959 classic “Sleeping Beauty.” A beautiful, pure-hearted young woman, Maleficent has an idyllic life growing up in a peaceable forest kingdom, until one day when an invading army threatens the harmony of the land. Maleficent rises to be the land’s fiercest protector, but she ultimately suffers a ruthless betrayal—an act that begins to turn her pure heart to stone. Bent on revenge, Maleficent faces an epic battle with the invading king’s successor and, as a result, places a curse upon his newborn infant Aurora. As the child grows, Maleficent realizes that Aurora holds the key to peace in the kingdom—and perhaps to Maleficent’s true happiness as well.
Maleficent is being directed by Robert Stromberg, based on a screenplay by Paul Dini and Linda Woolverton. The cast includes: Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning, Sharlto Copley, Juno Temple, Sam Riley, Miranda Richardson and Imelda Staunton. Will land in theaters May 30, 2014.