Disney brings on ‘Prey’ director to put a new spin on classic ‘Sleeping Beauty’
Dan Trachtenberg is currently working to bring a classic Disney tale to life. According to Deadline, the 'Prey' director has come on board to develop an original idea inspired by 'Sleeping Beauty.' The project reportedly has no connection to the 'Maleficent' films starring Angelina Jolie. This venture is a completely new direction under Trachtenberg's guidance. He found this new concept alongside Rayna McClendon. Alex Anfanger and Dan Schimpf, known for 'Big Time In Hollywood, FL,' have been hired to write a script based on the idea.
The movie is inspired by Walt Disney Animation Studios' 1959 animated classic, which in turn adapts Charles Perrault's macabre 1697 fairy tale. For those unaware, the animated movie follows Princess Aurora, who gets cursed by Maleficent. She falls into a deep slumber and wakes only after receiving a true love's kiss. Seeing the people involved, the new take likely won't be as swoony as the original. Trachtenberg is known for making movies primarily in the dystopian/sci-fi genre, while the scriptwriters are known for slapstick comedy. The plot details remain under wraps. This is not the only classic tale Disney seems to be expanding. In 2025, Deadline reported that a 'Beauty and the Beast' spin-off is also in development.
Trachtenberg will direct and produce this yet-untitled project. Ben Rosenblatt will also serve as a producer, as Trachtenberg's longtime partner. 'Star Wars' producer Michelle Rejwan is also being billed as a producer. EVP Production Jessica Virtue and Creative Executive Alina Mota are currently overseeing the project for Disney Live Action president Daria Cercek. This is not Trachtenberg's first collaboration with Disney. He teamed up with them to relaunch the 'Predator' franchise. The first movie in the franchise, 'Prey,' was released in 2022 and became a resounding success on Hulu. The critically acclaimed movie was eventually nominated for Outstanding TV Movie at the Emmys. Last year, he added to the franchise with 'Predator: Badlands' and the animated pic 'Predator: Killer of Killers.' All three movies are the highest-rated in the franchise on Rotten Tomatoes. He would hope to continue the fruitful association with Disney.
