'Maleficent' Becomes Angelina Jolie's Biggest Live-Action Movie Ever
Angelina Jolie has the earth under her spell. This weekend, the worldwide box office for Maleficent surpassed $500 million, making the Disney movie her biggest live-action film ever, according to The Hollywood Reporter. In addition to its $186 million from U.S. audiences, Maleficent has raked in $336 million internationally, with particularly big audiences in China, Mexico, Russia, the U.K., and Brazil. The film has’t even opened in Japan yet, one of the world’s largest movie markets — meaning the wicked fairy’s box office powers will only continue to grow.
Despite her megawatt stardom, Jolie hasn’t had a hit of this caliber since 2005’s Mr. and Mrs. Smith, the film that created Brangelina, which earned $478 million worldwide. (Smith still has $1 million over Maleficent domestically, but time is on the sorceress’ side.) Rounding out Jolie’s top 5 live-action films to date are Wanted ($341 million worldwide), Salt ($294 million) and — believe it or not — The Tourist, which bombed in the U.S. but narrowly outgrossed Lara Croft: Tomb Raider worldwide with $278 million.
Note the qualifying phrase “live-action film.” The surprising truth is that Jolie’s top movies are still of the animated variety: Kung Fu Panda, for which she supplied the voice of Tigress,is her most lucrative film domestically ($215 million), and Kung Fu Panda 2 was her biggest hit worldwide ($666 million). If animated films were included in Jolie’s worldwide top 5, Shark Tale would also nudge out Wanted. Nothing breaks through culture barriers like talking animals.
Maleficent seems to have found universal appeal by inverting the familiar story of Sleeping Beauty. The dazzling visual effects and fairy-tale elements have no doubt contributed to its international success. But the biggest factor may be Jolie herself, one of the most beloved celebrities on the planet, whose face single-handedly marketed the film at home and abroad. At a time when very few actors can sell a film on star power alone, Jolie clearly has some kind of magic.
Related Links
How Angelina Jolie Perfected Her Maleficent Laugh
Our 10 Favorite Maleficent Cosplayers on Flickr
Stingray Skin, Bird Skulls, and Other Secrets Behind the Maleficent Costumes
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Photo credit: Walt Disney Pictures
