Angelina Jolie's 'Maleficent' given March 2014 release date

Rex Features / Jim Smeal/BEI

Maleficent has been given a provisional release date by Disney.

The fantasy film - starring Angelina Jolie in the title role - has been earmarked for release on March 14, 2014.

Maleficent is a live-action movie which will tell the tale of Sleeping Beauty from the point of view of the self-proclaimed "mistress of all evil", showing what prompted her to place a curse on Princess Aurora.

Elle Fanning is reportedly finalising a deal to play the princess.

Linda Woolverton, whose previous credits for Disney include Alice in Wonderland, The Lion King and Mulan, will write the script for the movie.

Robert Stromberg, an Oscar-winning production designer who has worked on movies including Avatar and Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, will make his directorial debut on Maleficent.

Burton was previously attached to direct the movie, which is tipped to begin filming in Londo! n this s ummer.

> Angelina Jolie: 'New film Maleficent is not anti-princess'

Watch a trailer for the 50th anniversary DVD of Sleeping Beauty: