So, Angelina Jolie is finally back. Not just as a producer or a director, but front and center on the screen. It feels like forever since we’ve seen her really sink her teeth into a role that wasn't a caped superhero or a voice-over in a booth. If you’ve been scrolling through Netflix lately or seeing clips of standing ovations on your feed, you’ve definitely seen her newest project.
The latest movie with Angelina Jolie is titled Maria, and honestly, it’s nothing like what most people expected from her big return. Forget the guns. Forget the action sequences. This is a haunting, slow-burn biopic about the legendary opera singer Maria Callas, directed by Pablo Larraín. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because he’s the same guy who made Natalie Portman look like a ghost in Jackie and Kristen Stewart look trapped in Spencer.
He has a type. Specifically, tragic women in big houses.
What is Maria actually about?
Most people hear "biopic" and expect a birth-to-death timeline. This isn't that. Maria focuses almost entirely on the final week of Maria Callas’s life in 1977 Paris. She’s living in this gorgeous, cavernous apartment, mostly talking to her butler Ferruccio and her housekeeper Bruna. She’s a recluse.
The movie is basically a fever dream. Because Callas was heavily using sedatives (specifically Mandrax) at the end of her life, the film leans into that. You’re seeing her hallucinations. You’re seeing her talk to a young filmmaker who isn't actually there. It’s trippy. It’s sad. And it’s incredibly beautiful to look at.
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Larraín uses these hallucinations to jump back into her past. We see the messy affair with Aristotle Onassis. We see her childhood in war-torn Greece. But the core of the story is her losing her voice—the one thing that gave her an identity.
Did Angelina Jolie really sing in the movie?
This is the big question everyone asks. The short answer? Sorta.
Jolie actually trained for seven months to learn how to sing opera. She didn't just wing it. In the film, the audio you hear is a mix. It’s a blend of Jolie’s actual voice and original recordings of Maria Callas.
When Callas is supposed to be "on" and at the height of her powers, that's the real Callas. When she’s older, struggling, and "off-key" in her apartment, that’s more of Jolie. It’s a bold choice. It makes the performance feel more grounded because you can actually see the physical strain in her neck and her breathing. It’s not just a lip-sync job.
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The cast you’ll recognize
While Jolie is the sun the rest of the movie orbits around, the supporting cast is stellar:
- Pierfrancesco Favino as Ferruccio (the butler who is basically her life support).
- Alba Rohrwacher as Bruna (the maid who makes those "magnificent omelettes").
- Haluk Bilginer as Aristotle Onassis (the man who arguably broke her heart).
- Kodi Smit-McPhee as Mandrax (the hallucinated interviewer).
Why the movie is so polarizing
If you check the reviews, they are all over the place. Some critics say it’s Jolie’s best work since Girl, Interrupted. They point to that eight-minute standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival as proof. She’s vulnerable in a way she hasn't been in decades.
On the other hand, some opera purists are annoyed. They feel like the movie simplifies a very complex woman. Some think the "hallucination" plot device is a bit cheesy. But honestly? It’s a Pablo Larraín movie. It was never going to be a straightforward History Channel documentary. It’s a mood piece.
What’s next for Angelina Jolie?
If Maria wasn't your vibe and you miss the "Salt" era of Jolie, don't worry. She’s heading back to the world of high-stakes action very soon.
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Her next big project is called Couture, directed by Alice Winocour, which is set to hit French cinemas in February 2026. It’s set during Paris Fashion Week and follows three women whose lives collide. Jolie plays a filmmaker named Maxine Walker.
Beyond that, she’s working on a gritty gangster film called Sunny with director Eva Sørhaug. In that one, she plays a woman caught in a violent drug world, trying to protect her sons. It sounds way more like the "action star" Jolie we know.
And yes, for the Disney fans, Maleficent 3 is still floating around the 2028 release calendar.
How to watch Maria right now
If you’re in the US, the easiest way to catch the latest movie with Angelina Jolie is on Netflix. It started streaming there in December 2024. If you want the full experience, some boutique theaters still run it because the cinematography by Ed Lachman—shot on different types of film to differentiate the eras—is genuinely meant for a big screen.
If you decide to watch it, just go in knowing it’s a tragedy. It’s about a woman looking in the mirror and not recognizing herself anymore. It’s heavy, it’s theatrical, and it’s definitely the start of a new chapter in Jolie’s career.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Check Netflix: Search for Maria to see if it’s available in your region.
- Listen to the Soundtrack: To truly appreciate the film, listen to Maria Callas’s recording of "Casta Diva" from Norma before watching; it’s a central theme.
- Follow the 2026 Release Calendar: Keep an eye out for the Couture trailer, which has already started circulating in European markets for its early 2026 debut.