As expected, Disney's "Maleficent" delivered strongly in garnering almost $70 million in its first box office weekend debut, also marking it as the biggest debut of Angelina Jolie's career. As a darker retelling of the classic "Sleeping Beauty" story, this time from the villain's perspective, the film was labeled by critics as a risky endeavor. However, with Jolie's return to the big screen after several years of being inactive, the live-action film got just what it needed to draw in viewers' interest. Although the movie is rated PG, it was also feared that the villain-focused concept might drive away the more family-oriented viewers.

On the other hand, Jolie proved to be the perfect choice to play the role since her reputation worked against the darker persona of Maleficent. Despite critics giving rather lackluster reviews of the film and the elusiveness of star power in modern Hollywood, Jolie was able to attract the interest of many moviegoers. The movie's success this week pushed last week's top film, "X-Men: Days of Future Past," to second place with $32.6 million. Furthermore, the film's success is proof yet again against the popular notion in the industry that films with popular male stars dominate at the box office.

It was a tricky balancing act performed by Disney, a company that is known for producing brighter and lighter tales to the delight of its young audience. Head of distribution for Disney Dave Hollis credited Jolie and the company's marketing department for successfully balancing along the fine line. He said that Jolie's talent, which transcends roles and genres, ultimately gave "Maleficent" its resounding success, and the marketing department was able to sell the idea to families, which comprised of 45 percent of the audience. Furthermore, the film's edginess made it appeal to a broader audience. Disney's "Maleficent" has so far earned a total of $100 million internationally, a figure which is expected to grow.