Walt Disney Pictures raked in over $1 billion in gross sales for their musical live-action remake, "Beauty and the Beast." For this very reason, the studio is now looking to remake some of their other classic properties. According to the latest report, the next project that is now in the pipeline is the remake of the 1992 classic Disney Animated film, "Aladdin."
Will Smith as the Genie
The latest reports have revealed that Disney apparently wants veteran actor Will Smith to play the role of the Genie. The character was originally voiced by the late Robin Williams in the Original Film, which is definitely some big shoes to fill even for the 48-year old veteran.
Previous failed negotiations
Before the live-action remake of "Aladdin" was on the table, Smith was reportedly already in talks with Tim Burton to star in his own remake of the 1941 animated movie, "Dumbo." Smith was apparently set to portray the father of the children who had befriended the semi-anthropomorphic elephant. However, Smith allegedly ended up exiting the project due to disagreements with his salary and schedule.
Smith's musical background
Before Smith became a household name in Hollywood, the Philadelphia-born actor was actually a rapper back in the 80's under the name "The Fresh Prince." Smith's musical background may actually make him a perfect fit for the upcoming remake, as it is expected to be musical just like the remake of "Beauty and the Beast.
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Other cast members
The upcoming "Aladdin" remake's director, Guy Ritchie previously revealed that he had no intention of "whitewashing" the upcoming film. The studio is currently holding an open casting call for the lead roles. The roles of the main characters are now being opened to actors of Middle Eastern descent. The main roles of Aladdin and Jasmine, on the other hand, is open only to Middle Eastern actors between the ages of 18 and 25.
Filming for the "Aladdin" live-action remake is set to begin in July and will conclude on January 2018. Disney has yet to set a release date for the new movie. If the success of Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" is any indication, there will undoubtedly be quite a lot of hype for the new live-action musical.
Disney's recently released movie did reach several milestones, including becoming the highest grossing live-action musical of all time and the highest grossing movie of 2017. The movie featured an ensemble cast that included Emma Watson and Dan Stevens as the titular characters.
