If your kid loved the first Maleficent, they're probably curious about what happens next. The character of Maleficent has become this fascinating figure for kids—she's powerful, misunderstood, has incredible wings, and gets to shoot green magic from her hands. What's not to love?

Plus, Disney marketed this movie heavily, and the trailers looked epic. Kids who are into fantasy worlds, strong female characters, or anything remotely fairy-tale adjacent probably added this to their watch list years ago and are now circling back to it.

Here's the thing: PG doesn't mean what it used to mean.

The official rating is PG for "intense sequences of fantasy action/violence and brief scary images." But let's be real—this movie pushes that PG rating to its absolute limit. If this had come out 15 years ago, it probably would've gotten a PG-13.

What "intense sequences of fantasy action/violence" actually means:

The "brief scary images" include:

Ages 5 and under: Hard pass. This is too intense, too scary, and too long. The nuanced storyline about prejudice and war isn't going to land, and the scary parts will just be... scary.

Ages 6-8: Proceed with extreme caution. Some kids in this range might handle it fine, especially if they're fantasy veterans who've watched Harry Potter or similar. But many will find the battle scenes overwhelming and the darker themes confusing. If your kid still gets scared during intense moments in Frozen, this is not the move.

Ages 9-11: This is probably the sweet spot. Kids in this range can generally handle the action sequences, understand the themes about prejudice and fear of "the other," and appreciate the character development. They're old enough to process that the violence is fantasy-based and not gratuitous.

Ages 12+: Totally fine. At this point, they've probably seen way more intense stuff on Netflix or in the MCU movies.

The wildcard factor: If your kid is particularly sensitive to seeing characters they love in danger, or gets anxious during battle scenes, add 1-2 years to whatever age range you're considering. There's a scene where it genuinely looks like Maleficent dies, and even though savvy kids know Disney isn't going to kill off their title character, it's still emotionally heavy.

Beyond the violence, there are actually some interesting themes worth discussing:

The prejudice angle is not subtle. Queen Ingrith literally wants to commit genocide against magical creatures because she fears them. The movie draws pretty clear parallels to real-world xenophobia and fear-based politics. For older kids (10+), this could be a great conversation starter about how fear drives conflict.

Family dynamics get complicated. Aurora is caught between her fairy godmother (Maleficent) and her future mother-in-law, and neither side trusts the other. It's actually a pretty mature exploration of loyalty, family, and choosing your own path.

The environmental message is there. The magical creatures represent nature and the natural world, while the humans represent industrialization and control. It's not preachy, but it's definitely present.

Michelle Pfeiffer is TERRIFYING as the villain. She plays Queen Ingrith with this cold, calculating evil that's honestly more unsettling than any CGI monster. She's the kind of villain who smiles while plotting murder.

Language: Clean. This is Disney.

Romance: Aurora and Philip kiss a few times. There's a wedding. Nothing remotely inappropriate.

Scary stuff: Moderate to high. The dark fey creatures, the battle scenes, the apparent death scene, and Queen Ingrith's cold villainy all contribute to a darker tone than most kids' movies.

Positive messages: Actually quite a few—chosen family, overcoming prejudice, not judging people by their appearance or species, the importance of trust and communication.

Maleficent: Mistress of Evil is a visually stunning movie with some genuinely good themes about prejudice and family. But it's also significantly more violent and intense than the first film, and that PG rating is doing some heavy lifting.

Watch it first if: Your kid is under 9, sensitive to violence, or gets scared easily. The 2-hour runtime also means you want to make sure they can handle it before committing to a family movie night.

You're probably fine to just watch together if: Your kid is 9+, has watched other fantasy action movies without issue, and you're prepared to have a conversation about why Queen Ingrith is so afraid of magical creatures.

Skip it entirely if: Your kid is still in the "Disney magic is real and nothing bad should happen" phase. This movie has real stakes, real danger, and a much darker tone than classics like Beauty and the Beast or The Little Mermaid.

The good news? If your kid isn't ready for this one yet, the first Maleficent is significantly lighter and might scratch the same itch. And if they're looking for more fantasy adventure that's age-appropriate, check out our guide to fantasy movies for kids.