Where to start
Sleeping Beauty
2 versions · originally a film, 1959
Themes: Good vs Evil, Fate vs Free Will, Sleeping Curse, True Love's Kiss, Coming of Age.
The Sleeping Beauty legacy explores the dangerous intersection of dark magic, royal destiny, and the complex motivations behind a legendary curse.
✦ Most fans start here
Maleficent (2014)
The original movie
Sleeping Beauty
Clyde Geronimi · Film · 1959
Sleeping Beauty (1959) serves as the definitive animated classic, offering a quintessential fairy tale aesthetic and the iconic, terrifying portrayal of Maleficent as a purely villainous force of nature.
Inspired by
✦ Start hereMaleficent
Robert Stromberg · Film · 2014
Maleficent (2014) reimagines the narrative by shifting the perspective toward the antagonist, providing a nuanced origin story that explores the betrayal and heartbreak behind the forest kingdom's legendary dark transformation.
Common questions
Is Maleficent a direct sequel to the 1959 Sleeping Beauty movie?
No, Maleficent is not a sequel to the 1959 Sleeping Beauty movie. It is a live-action reimagining that retells the story from the perspective of the antagonist, Maleficent, rather than following the narrative established in the original animated film.
What order should I watch Sleeping Beauty and Maleficent?
You should watch the 1959 Sleeping Beauty movie first to understand the classic version of the story. Afterward, you can watch the 2014 film Maleficent to see how the studio reimagined the same characters and events from a different viewpoint.
Is Maleficent based on the same source material as Sleeping Beauty?
Yes, both films are based on the same traditional fairy tale source material. While the 1959 Sleeping Beauty movie presents the story in a classic animated format, the 2014 film Maleficent serves as a modern adaptation that explores the backstory and motivations of the titular character.
How does the 2014 Maleficent differ from the 1959 Sleeping Beauty movie?
The 1959 Sleeping Beauty movie focuses on the traditional conflict between the princess and the villain. In contrast, the 2014 film Maleficent shifts the focus to the villain, providing a new perspective on the events that occurred in the original Sleeping Beauty story.