Award-winning actor Will Smith recently shared a group photo of the cast members of the upcoming Disney live-action, “Aladdin.” He also announced that the team has started filming the much-awaited movie based on an original tale.
Smith is set to portray the character of Genie, and he shared a photo of the cast members in a group shot last Wednesday, September 6. He wrote on Facebook that they just started shooting “Aladdin,” and introduced the actors who are playing various roles in the movie.
The photo included Mena Massoud as Aladdin, Naomi Scott as Princess Jasmine and Marwan Kenzari as the villain Jafar.
They were all smiling in the photo from what appeared to be a studio where the scenes were being shot. As of press time, the Facebook post on the actor’s official page has gathered more than 200,000 likes and more than 18,000 shares.
Will Smith as Genie
This 48-year-old Oscar nominee was chosen to play a major role in the upcoming live-action version of the Disney animated classic. The animated version of Genie was voiced by the late Robin Williams in 1992. Dan Castellaneta voiced the character in the TV series version of the classic, with James Monroe Iglehart as the actor behind Genie in the Broadway adaptation, ABC News reported.
The official members of the cast were announced last July during Disney’s D23 Expo.
The movie, which tells the love story of street rat Aladdin and the Sultan's daughter Princess Jasmine, will be directed by Guy Ritchie. The release date of the film has not been announced yet, the report added.
First look at the live action #Aladdin cast all together - plus some of the set! pic.twitter.com/9y0M2s7Ja6
— IGN (@IGN) September 6, 2017
New character
The live-action version is also set to introduce a new character that wasn't even included in the original fairy tale.
He is Prince Anders, whose role will certainly twist the plot and add more color to the lives of Aladdin, Jasmine, Genie, and Jafar, The Hollywood Reporter said.
CBS actor Billy Magnussen has been chosen to play Prince Anders. This 32-year-old actor has various experiences on Broadway, television, and film. He is famous for his role in the hit TV series “As The World Turns.” He can be recalled as Rapunzel’s Prince in “Into The Woods” another Disney production.
The Hollywood Reporter added that there will be more details to be unveiled about his character as the filming takes place. “Aladdin” is just one of the many stories lined up to be turned into live-action, and Disney has just successfully concluded “Cinderella,” “Beauty and the Beast” and “Maleficent.” There will also be adaptations for “Lion King,” “Mulan” and “Dumbo.”
