‘Maleficent’: Hollywood Movie Theater Mistakenly Uses Fan-made Poster (Excl.)

You probably have seen that fan-made poster for “Thor: The Dark World” that somehow ended up inside a movie theater in China. The photo of the promotional piece, with the Nordic hero (Chris Hemsworth) embracing his mischievous brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) went viral last year.

Now another Disney film has fell victim of a similar confusion, but in a land not far away, far away. Hollywoodland, actually. Last Friday I was inside the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres (next to the historic Grauman’s Chinese Theatre) waiting for a press screening when something caught my eye: A fan-made poster for “Maleficent” magically appeared on an electronic display in the middle of the lobby.

The screen had like seven images for different upcoming movies in a constant loop. They were visible for less than 10 seconds before been replaced by the next one. Maybe that is why not many people have seem to noticed it so far. That, and the fact that this poster isn’t as obviously fake as the one used for the Marvel Studios production.

But take a closer look at the anonymous creation.

If the photo-shopped composition itself wasn’t a red flag (Angelina Jolie’s face distorted and a ‘cheap looking’ color palette) the release date should have been. The film will be released on May 30. “March 30” isn’t just wrong, it is already in the past! Where is the movie?

Compare that to one of the official posters.

I have nothing against this fine movie theater. On the contrary, it is one of my favorites. I make mistakes all the time and that is the point. We all screw up, not just “foreigners in exotic places.” If there was a magic potion to avoid things like this, it would be a perfect and very boring world.

“From Disney comes “Maleficent”—the untold story of Disney’s most iconic villain from the 1959 classic “Sleeping Beauty.” A beautiful, pure-hearted young woman, Maleficent has an 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 fiercest protector, but she ultimately suffers a ruthless betrayal—an act that begins to turn her pure heart 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. As the child grows, Maleficent realizes that Aurora holds the key to peace in the kingdom—and perhaps to Maleficent’s true happiness as well.”