Joachim Rønning found the answer in Michelle Pfeiffer
‘Maleficent’ sequel a puzzle for director
Making a movie is a daunting task for a director. Everything from where to put a comma in the script to the color of a mythical creature’s hair falls under the decisions they must make in the gamble that all the pieces come together to make the work successful.
Director Joachim Rønning (“Marco Polo”) faced all the regular challenges when making “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil,” plus an additional hurdle. “Maleficent” was a massive hit because of the larger-than-life performance by Angelina Jolie as the title character.
The sequel has an older Aurora (Elle Fanning) splitting her time between reigning over all the creatures who live in the forest and falling in love with Prince Phillip (Harris Dickinson). Maleficent isn’t crazy about the wedding but is willing to let the union happen so Aurora will be happy. That means meeting the inlaws, and that’s where Rønning faced his big test. Who do you cast that can be just as dominating on the screen as Jolie? If the role of the manipulative Queen Ingrith isn’t played with the strength, intelligence and deep wickedness Jolie had shown in the first film, the clash of families would not have the necessary power to drive the production.
Rønning knew there was only one performer who could handle such a task: Michelle Pfeiffer. Pfeiffer has been in some of his favorite films, including “The Fabulous Baker Boys,” “Age of Innocence,” “Dangerous Liaisons” and “Witches of Eastwick.” He also loved her work playing Catwoman in “Batman Returns,” a role Jolie says is her all-time favorite film villain.
“She is one of the few actors who can go up against Maleficent and Angelina Jolie,” Rønning says. “Those days were the best on the set when we had Angelina Jolie and Michelle Pfeiffer and Elle Fanning battling it out. … You really feel so privileged.
“Not only are they playing iconic characters, but they are so iconic as actors. They are in my book some of the world’s best actors and some of the most famous.”
A lesser problem is the film being a sequel. The track record for follow-up movies has not been spectacular. The Norway native went into his latest project with some knowledge of the iffy nature of sequels, having directed “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.”
What he learned was a film can be full of visual splendor and massive special effects, but the bottom line is the characters have to be interesting and the story has to have an emotional core that resonates with viewers.
“That’s what appealed to me about the first film. I think what surprised audiences all over the world was that they were actually moved and gripped by it. That was the story I wanted to continue telling, but you also have to take it to the next level,” Rønning says. “I was interested in an origin story for Maleficent and her discovering that she’s not the only one.
“That made the universe bigger.” The universe of “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil” is massive and includes a forest filled with strange creatures, a kingdom with a huge castle and caves and clouds where the fey are in hiding. Such worlds can easily be created using computers but when possible, Rønning had sets built. This was to give the actors a boost in finding the feeling of existing in the magical worlds, rather than trying to imagine the world while staring at a green screen.
It took more than a year to combine the practical footage with the special effects, including a 20-minute battle sequence that alone took nine months to edit. But, Rønning stresses all the work was necessary to make sure the sequel is big enough to entertain those who loved the original.
At the same time, Rønning wants “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil” to have story elements that also make it bigger than the original. That includes plot points regarding tolerance and sexism.
“Part of my little dream here was to have a message of kindness. I think our villain in the form of Queen Ingrith is very much controlling the narrative and using that as part of her power to divide people,” Rønning says. “There are definitely parallels to today’s society.
“What I love is at the end of the day you have your family and you come together and show an openness and interest in what’s not necessarily like yourself. But, you accept it. At the end of the day, that is the message of the movie.”