Disney will be bringing us three live-action remakes this year, with Dumbo already in theaters and The Lion King completing the circle of life in July. The one drawing the most attention right now, though, is the new Aladdin. And not necessarily for the right reasons.
You see, the second full-length preview for the remake became a laughing stock due to the unexpectedly terrible realization of Will Smith’s Genie. And though it’s true that his appearance leaves a lot to be desired, the film as a whole still looks pretty promising, something that’s only emphasized further in this new promo – which you can view up above.
Though it may not have a ton of fresh footage in it, the 30-second spot highlights the magical journey that awaits us later this year, showing off some spectacular visuals, costumes and yes, another look at the Genie. All things considered, it’s a tantalizing tease of what Disney’s cooking up and should get folks excited.
Directed by Guy Ritchie, the upcoming remake seems to be largely faithful to the 1992 original, with many of the scenes we’ve laid eyes on so far being live-action or CGI recreations of iconic moments from the much-loved animated flick. And that’s something which will surely please fans.
Casting-wise, Mena Massoud will star as the street rat turned prince while Naomi Scott (Power Rangers) is Princess Jasmine. Elsewhere, Marwan Kenzari steps into the role of the villainous grand vizier Jafar, with Legion‘s Navid Negahban as the Sultan of Agrabah. Voice artist Frank Welker, meanwhile, is the only cast member returning from the original, as he’s once again playing Aladdin’s pet monkey Abu.
Aladdin will hope to show audiences a whole new world when it conjures its way into theaters later this year, on May 24th. And after the pretty underwhelming Dumbo, Disney will surely be hoping this one’s a hit.
Published: Mar 31, 2019 12:00 pm