Fairytales dominated by princesses in towers and the princes that rescue them are a thing of the past in the 21st century, with audiences now keen to trade tradition for innovation with their happily ever afters. When it comes to innovation, there are few franchises as fresh as 'Maleficent', in which the iconic villain of 'Sleeping Beauty' transforms into a protagonist that we root for. We had the opportunity to sit down and speak with the direct and cast of the long-awaited sequel 'Maleficent: Mistress of Evil', so we took the chance to ask them about how fairytales can be updated for a 21st century audience.
Joachim Rønning, the director at the helm of the sequel, explores how the film combines the traditional ambience of fairytales with the pressing issues of modern society. Ed Skein and Chiwetel Ejiofor, who portray Borra and Conall respectively, also discuss how the film about a community of dark fairies can be used to explore problems such as climate change and segregation. Sam Riley (Diaval) and Harris Dickinson (Prince Philip) weigh in on how their interpretations of interpersonal relationships and masculinity are made relevant to an audience of the new millennium.
Sam Riley and Harris Dickinson dish on the 'Kingsman' prequel and the filming of 'Way Down'
However, an updated fairytale isn't the only project that has us jumping up and down with excitement. Sam Riley also told us about his experience of filming 'Way Down' in Madrid. From his relationship with director Jaume Balagueró to the time when essentially the entire centre of Spain was shut down for shooting, you can find out everything there is to know about the upcoming thriller in the interview.
Furthermore, Harris Dickinson shed some light on the forthcoming prequel to the 'Kingsman' saga in which he'll be taking the baton from Taron Egerton as the newest recruit to the secret agency. The prequel will be set during the First World War and fill explore the origin story of the sophisticated organisation that we know and love. You can listen to the complete interview linked above.
'Maleficent: Mistress of Evil' will hit cinemas on the 18th October.
