So? People love her. So what? Is A and E’s job supposed to be bringing all the Disney people you love to life? I thought it was to create Once Upon a Time which took a unique spin and look on the those stories. And of course, they already had Mal…she was in season 1, in WL, and even in dragon form in S2. They are changing her NOW–after already establishing her in the show–to fit what is more profitable. We already know it’s Mal. People have been asking for more Mal long before S4; they do not need to change her to make her Maleficent. She already is Mal. Why change her now? Money.
I don’t really have a problem with A&E making an executive decision for Eduardo Castro to alter Mal’s original costume to resemble the 2014 film’s costume. I just wish A&E could admit that they (not just Eduardo) decided to make their Mal visually resemble the popularized version of Mal, while ensuring her characterization would remain their own. I think A&E kind of got defensive when the interviewer suggested that Kristen’s Mal looked like Angelina’s Mal, and that they confused a critique about the costume for a critique about the character.
Yes I do agree with your point: when they say something like they aren’t flipping through the Disney catelog and their new villains looks like very literal copies of the Disney films…well. It’s hard not to roll your eyes. Own up to the fact that you are paid by the Great Mouse, boys. We all know it. We all know that Disney has their hand in your honey pot.