The live-action version of Beauty and the Beast may be laying the groundwork for an ongoing trend at Disney. The media conglomerate has converted some of its classic animated films into live-action movies over the years. And with its latest adaptation in the works, Will Smith may play the Genie in Aladdin, according to Deadline. His background in music makes him the obvious choice, if you ask me.
As reported by Deadline, Smith is reportedly currently in talks to play the lovable Genie, a role once made famous by the late Robin Williams. And while Williams' shoes are pretty big to fill, there's certainly no doubt that Smith's comedic timing and musical background more than qualify him for the part. For the few of you who may not know, Jaden and Willow Smith's dad was quite the accomplished rapper prior to bursting onto the acting scene in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air in the early '90s.
I'm not 100 percent sure, but Smith's addition to the Aladdin cast could perhaps be part of a strategic plan to infuse a bit of hip-hop flair into the whimsical character's persona. And this could be just what the film needs to give the entire movie a much-needed update since it first premiered nearly 25 years ago. Kinda like... Fresh Prince meets Aladdin, you know? I don't know about you, but I'm totally here for it.
While all of the details surrounding Smith's potential involvement remain unclear, there's one thing that appears to be totally evident: Disney adaptations equal success — both monetarily and in terms of fan excitement. In less than two months since its release in February of this year, Beauty and the Beast has grossed more than $1 billion worldwide,Vanity Fair reported.
The 1992 animated version of Aladdin was also a huge success for the media giant, grossing over $504 million, according to Box Office Mojo. With that said, the live-action adaptation could prove to make out pretty swell at the box office — that is, if all goes well with the production and casting.
It doesn't hurt that the second coming will be directed by Guy Ritchie, with Jonathan Eirich and Dan Lin serving as producers, The Hollywood Reporter reported. The film is also said to be scripted straight from the original version by John August, so it certainly seems to be lining itself up for success.
Now, all we need is for Smith to grant us one of our three wishes and sign on to play the magical role.
