First Look: Angelina Jolie as Maleficent!

Disney announced this morning that filming has begun on 'Maleficent' - the 'Sleeping Beauty' spinoff that stars Angelina Jolie as the wicked villainess to Elle Fanning as Aurora. But, perhaps even more important, we get our first look at Angelina Jolie as Maleficent - horns and all...

Well that definitely looks like Angelina Jolie as Maleficent, cheekbones and all. It's an interesting look they've used to create the iconic horns on her head. They look like some kind of leather-based headwear and it'll be interested to see how the film explains why she wears them (or if they bother to try and explain).

Directed by two-time Oscar®-winning production designer Robert Stromberg ('Alice in Wonderland') in his directorial debut, 'Maleficent” is written by Linda Woolverton (also of 'Alice in Wonderland') and Jolie herself serves as executive producer. (If you're wondering why they didn't just get Tim Burton to direct this, they tried and he passed.)

Co-starring in the film with Jolie and Fanning are Sharlto Copley, Sam Riley, Imelda Staunton, Miranda Richardson, Juno Temple and Lesley Manville.

According to Disney: "This is the untold story of Disney’s most beloved villain, Maleficent, from the 1959 classic 'Sleeping Beauty.' The film reveals the events that hardened her heart and drove her to curse the baby, Aurora."

'Maleficent' is scheduled for a March 14, 2014 release in 3D. You can click the image below to see in hi-res. What do you think of Angelina Jolie as Maleficent?