Following the events of the first movie, Maleficent (Angelina Jolie) has become a protector of the Moors, the magical creatures who live there. Aurora (Elle Fanning), who was once the target of Maleficent's curse but now sees her as a mother figure, is now queen of the human kingdom of Ulstead. She is being courted by Prince Phillip (Harris Dickinson), the son of King John (Robert Lindsay) and Queen Ingrith (Michelle Pfeiffer).
At first, Maleficent is skeptical of the relationship between Aurora and Prince Phillip, but she eventually warms up to him. However, tensions rise when she is invited to the royal wedding. Queen Ingrith has a deep contempt for the magical creatures of the Moors and seeks to eradicate them with a new weapon she has developed.
Maleficent discovers that she is not the only one of her kind and meets other Dark Fey, led by Conall (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and Borra (Ed Skrein). The Dark Fey are hopeful that Maleficent will lead them in a war with the humans, but Maleficent is torn between her loyalty to Aurora and her fellow magical creatures.
As the conflict between the two factions escalates, secrets are revealed, alliances are tested, and Maleficent and Aurora must navigate the complex family ties that bind them in order to prevent a catastrophic war between humans and magical creatures.