“Maleficent 2” Moves Forward as Disney Taps “Spectre” Scribe Jez Butterworth to Rewrite Sequel (Exclusive)

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After working with him on Cruella, Disney has hired Jez Butterworth to rewrite the script for MALEFICENT 2, the Tracking Board has exclusively learned.

Joe Roth is producing the sequel, which will see Angelina Jolie reprise her role as the iconic Sleeping Beauty villain. Maleficent scribe Linda Woolverton wrote the initial draft of the screenplay.

Plot details remain unknown at this time, and any potential release date would depend on Jolie’s schedule.

Butterworth has written numerous studio movies including the James Bond film Spectre, the Tom Cruise vehicle Edge of Tomorrow, the Johnny Depp crime drama Black Mass, the James Brown biopic Get On Up and the Valerie Plame drama Fair Game. He’s also an acclaimed playwright who most recently co-created the upcoming Amazon series Brittania, which stars David Morrissey, Kelly Reilly and Mackenzie Crook.

Butterworth is represented by CAA and attorney Alan Wertheimer.

 Jeff Sneider | Editor in Chief