First look at Will Smith as the Genie in Disney’s live-action Aladdin remake
Entertainment Weekly has revealed what Will Smith will look like as the Genie in Disney’s live-action remake of Aladdin:
According to EW, Smith’s final form as the Genie hasn’t been finished, so if you’re worried he won’t ever be big and blue like the original Robin Williams version, don’t be. He’ll probably have two forms: a blue one for his magical moments and a more down-to-earth one for chatting with Aladdin.
Director Guy Ritchie said he “wanted a muscular 1970s dad” for the character. “[Smith’] was big enough to feel like a force — not so muscular that he looked like he was counting his calories, but formidable enough to look like you knew when he was in the room.” Wish granted.
Below are several first-look photos from the film. Make sure to scroll through to see them all.
For Smith, stepping into Robin Williams’ lamp was daunting. “Whenever you’re doing things that are iconic, it’s always terrifying,” he said. “The question is always: Where was there meat left on the bone? Robin didn’t leave a lot of meat on the bone with the character.”
Still, Ritchie thinks Smith will carve out his own memorable version of the character. “I like the fact that our Genie has an ego and is a little bit vain and he cares about how he’s presented because he’s been doing this for a very long time.”
Naturally, Smith also recorded a new version of “Friend Like Me,” the showstopper from the original movie. To hear EW tell it, Smith’s Genie will have more swagger than Williams’, with Smith drawing on his roles in stuff like Bad Boys, Independence Day, and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. “I think it’ll stand out as unique even in the Disney world,” Smith said. “There hasn’t been a lot of that hip-hop flavor in Disney history.”
Okay, but you’re not taking inspiration from Wild Wild West, right? Not everything from the ’90s has to make a comeback.
The new Aladdin will also star Mena Massoud as Aladdin and Naomi Scott as Princess Jasmine. It’s set to hit theaters on May 24, 2019.
And if Aladdin doesn’t quench your thirst for Disney nostalgia, Disney’s Lion King remake is premiering in July:
The ’90s are back, for better or worse.
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