Will Smith had big shoes to fill when he took on the role of Genie in Disney’s live-action Aladdin remake, a part made famous on screen by the late, great Robin Williams. Whether he did the big blue lamp-dweller justice depends on who you ask, but one thing’s for sure, it was bold of Smith to take on a role so iconic and attempt to reinvent it.
When the movie debuted last year, there was much scrutiny around the Bad Boys star. He was, after all, the top-billed actor and the most burning question was always going to be how his version of Genie compared to Williams’ much-loved portrayal back in 1992. Well, it seems Disney was more than satisfied with how it turned out as we’ve now heard that they want Smith to reprise the role in his own limited series.
According to our sources – the same ones who told us that a Beauty and the Beast spinoff for Gaston is in the works and that Aladdin is getting a sequel, both of which were correct – the Mouse House is keen to commission a Genie miniseries headed up by the Gemini Man actor for Disney Plus. Little is known about the project, but we’re told that it will likely include flashbacks to the character’s past and also fill in some of the blanks of what he got up to in between Aladdin 1 and 2.
What’s more, this might not be the only Aladdin follow-up that Smith’s Genie features in. As mentioned above, Disney are moving ahead with a sequel to the film and the project is said to currently be in the scripting phase. Plot details are still scarce, but it could borrow elements from the animated films The Return of Jafar and Aladdin and the King of Thieves. Director Guy Ritchie, meanwhile, has been tipped to return, but there’s been no official confirmation of this so far.
It’s unclear exactly when the Genie prequel will arrive on Disney+, but we’ll keep you up to speed on both it and the big screen sequel as and when any further info seeps out from the magic lamp.
