When we first watched Sleeping Beauty, there was always one bit which we had to hide behind the sofa for: the moment when Maleficent, the evil godmother, turns up to curse Princess Aurora at her christening.

Well, be prepared to be frightened all over again, as the first poster from the new film Maleficent, with Angelina Jolie playing the title role, has been released.

The story is set to be the untold version of Disney’s iconic villain from the 1959 classic, where Maleficent begins her life as a beautiful and pure-hearted young woman, who has a idyllic life growing up in a peaceable forest kingdom, until one day when an invading army threatens the harmony of the land.

Maleficent rises to be the land’s protector, but she ultimately suffers a ruthless betrayal, which makes her heart turn to stone. Bent on revenge, Maleficent faces an epic battle with the invading king’s successor and, as a result, places a curse upon his newborn infant Aurora.

The film stars Angelina Jolie as Maleficent, Sharlto Copley, Elle Fanning, Sam Riley, Imelda Staunton, Juno Temple and Lesley Manville.

Maleficent opens in cinemas in May 2014

Maleficent poster: first look