Bebe Rexha has dropped a video for her song “You Can’t Stop the Girl,” the female empowerment theme from Disney’s forthcoming “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil.”
Directed by Sophie Muller, the music video features scenes of Rexha reimagined as Maleficent and wandering through the film’s fantasy landscape, leading a marathon of women and snippets of the film. The variety of running women highlight body positivity, people with physical disabilities and racial diversity. Over the years Muller has directed videos for Beyoncé, Shakira, the Killers and No Doubt.
The wicked Disney sequel begins several years after the 2014 “Maleficent,” which retold the classic “Sleeping Beauty” from the perspective of the villain. The film follows the strained relationship between Princess Aurora (played by Elle Fanning “The Neon Demon”) and Maleficent (played by Angelina Jolie) amidst Aurora’s upcoming wedding and emerging alliances in the magical realm.
Jolie, Fanning, Sam Riley, Imelda Staunton, Juno Temple and Lesley Manville reprise their original roles, while Michelle Pfeiffer, Ed Skrein and Chiwetel Ejiofor are newcomers. Harris Dickinson replaces Brenton Thwaites as Prince Phillip from the first film. Joachim Rønning directs.
“Maleficent: Mistress of Evil” is projected to open in the $45 million range this weekend, toppling Todd Phillips’ “Joker.” The film is in theaters Oct. 18.