Tim Burton has departed pre-production of Disney’s fairytale reimagining Maleficent .
The re-telling of Sleeping Beauty was in very early stages, with Burton interested in helming the story of evil witch Maleficent, who casts a nasty spell on Princess Aurora.
Burton’s departure from the film appears to be an amicable one, with his Alice In Wonderland scriptwriter Linda Woolverton still attached to scribe Maleficent ’s script.
Meanwhile, Burton is still pressing ahead on his Frankenweenie feature over at the Mouse House.
Disney are apparently now interested in contracting Harry Potter director David Yates to take on Maleficent . Which could prove difficult, considering he’s tied in to Al Capone biopic Cicero over at Warner Bros.
For Burton fans who were confused and disappointed by his loud, crowded Alice adaptation, his departure from Maleficent can surely only come as good news.
Burton’s next film, Gothic TV adap Dark Shadows , opens May 2012.
