Will Smith in Early Talks for ‘Aladdin’s’ Genie
Disney has been enjoying a lot of success with its live action versions of animated classics. Most recently Beauty and the Beast has made over $1 billion worldwide.
Guy Ritchie’s live action Aladdin musical is in the very early planning stages, so the casting process is just starting. Perhaps the hardest role to cast will be that of the Genie.
Not only does the character require a big personality who can make magic seem real, Robin Williams’ work in the original is iconic and provides a lot to live up to.
Now, it seems like Ritchie has found his first choice in Will Smith. The superstar is in very early talks to be the live action Genie.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99Op1TaXmCw%5D
Smith certainly has a big personality. He’s also very comfortable with special effects and will be able to sell the audience on the Genie’s magic. While he is no singer, Smith’s musical ability is well-known with hits like Gettin Jiggy With It, Summertime, and of course the classic theme to The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.
The Genie was also played on Broadway by James Monroe Iglehart, who won a Tony for Outstanding Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical.
Smith can next be seen in the sci-fi film Bright, which premieres on Netflix in December.
So what do you think of the idea of Will Smith as the Genie? Who else would you like to see in the Aladdin movie?
Source: Deadline
