LATEST NEWS
Guillermo del Toro Wants to Direct 'Maleficent,' But Don't Count on It
by Ethan Anderton
June 20, 2011
It's been three years since we've seen a film from director Guillermo del Toro, and that was Hellboy II: The Golden Army back in 2008. Thankfully after At the Mountains of Madness fell apart, the big budget sci-fi project Pacific Rim was there to console him. Of course, del Toro also has plenty of other projects to keep him busy on the producing side like the gestating remake of The Orphanage, the new stop-motion animated Pinocchio and a new version of The Haunted Mansion without Eddie Murphy. But one project del Toro would love to direct is Disney's Maleficent, but sadly it doesn't sound like that will ever happen.
If you're not aware, Maleficent is Disney's new developing live-action film that tells the story of Sleeping Beauty from the point-of-view of the film's evil queen who can transform into a dragon. David O. Russell and Darren Aronofsky have been rumored to circle the project, but who better than del Toro to bring something like this to life. Well, del Toro recently alked to Hero Complex about that prospect, and while the thought is exciting, it doesn't sounds like it's in the cards. Del Toro says:
“Let me put it this way, if they ask I’ll take the meeting. I think Maleficent’s dragon is the only design with the wings separate from the front legs, the only time that design has ever worked. And let me tell you how much of a fan I am. I have a collection of over two or three dozen Maleficent figures, some of them four or five feet tall. I own about 10 pieces of conceptual art from ‘Sleeping Beauty’ that include the dragon and a lot more pieces that are just from ‘Sleeping Beauty.’ It’s one of my three favorite Disney films. I would love to. But I don’t want to put too many hopes on it. They’re probably on a fast track and I cannot take any more projects on a fast track. “
If Disney doesn't mind waiting for del Toro to finish Pacific Rim, he really would be the perfect director to make a dark but whimsical tale like this work for the studio. The care del Toro takes to make all his creatures feel like complete characters is perfect for a villain who seems like nothing more than a two-dimensional bad guy in the animated film. But with all the talk about the project after Tim Burton departed the project, it sounds like the studio wants to get the project off the ground very soon, and del Toro is just too busy to make that happen.
7 Comments
1
Please Disney...
ZZZ on Jun 21, 2011
2
Guillermo del Toro's agent has what must be the most exhausting and frustrating job in Hollywood. Well, perhaps not as bad as being Julia Roberts' mirror, but still pretty fucking awful.
Lebowski on Jun 21, 2011
3
someone should create an online petition to ask Disney to wait. hey alex, would you consider doing this? if it gets picked up by enough sites, could get massive and draw attention, no?
lane on Jun 21, 2011
4
Guillermo, stop producing FAIL and start directing WIN like you've done in the past!
Anonymous on Jun 21, 2011
5
Is Guillermo desperate or something? He's all over the place.
DJ on Jun 21, 2011
6
This would be Awesome but Im just Dieing to see him Direct something again!
N. on Jun 21, 2011
7
Guillermo del Toro has become one of the saddest players in Hollywood. I love the guy and cherish all of his movies, but his life story is playing out something like a John Steinbeck novel. His dreams are so big, but ultimately never play out like he wished. The man can do no wrong in my eyes, but I just wish the big studios could see his potential the way his fans do.
DAVIDPD on Jun 21, 2011
New comments are no longer allowed on this post.
FEATURED POSTS
FOLLOW FS HERE
Follow Alex's main account on Twitter:
Add our posts to your Feedly › click here
Get all the news sent on Telegram 
LATEST TO WATCH