I believe he's referring to Jasmine's song "Speechless". I'm even more eager to listen to it now. I'm still worried though about Guy Richie's take on the material. I'm hoping it won't result into a movie that's ashamed it's a musical and downplays that aspect.
Q: Are you excited about the work that you're going to be doing on the new live-action Disney films that are coming up in the next few years?
Alan Menken: Oh, I am! Totally. First of all, I'm excited about Aladdin which we are in the midst of working on right now. We have one song in particular that I'm very excited to have people hear. It's extremely timely and I wish they could hear it today! [Laughs]
Live-action films are really a director's medium. So, what's eventually going to be is very much in the director's hands. Aladdin is very much in Guy Richie's hands.
Q: Are there any secrets you can tell me about the new live-action remake of Aladdin?
Alan Menken: Well, Will Smith is playing our Genie and he's having a great time. I've written two new songs with the team of Pasek and Paul writing the lyrics. We had a great time working together.
Aladdin is also heading back to the big screen in Disney's latest live-action remake. Menken is again on board as composer of the film, which is helmed by actors Will Smith, Naomi Scott and Mena Massoud.
"I've been blessed with my projects coming back. It's like the kids who never leave home (laughs)," he says. "I've had three times around with Beauty and the Beast, and now three times around with Aladdin. The bulk of it is going to be my score and people then take the work and make it their own. I get to write new songs, which is great."
"Timely"? Perhaps he means the sentiment of the song fits with the MeToo movement? I wonder if "Speechless" is a song that occurs around the moment of the plot where Jasmine gives her "not a prize to be won" outburst to all the men talking about her when she isn't present.
Listening to most often lately:
Ariana Grande ~ "we can't be friends (wait for your love)"
Ariana Grande ~ "imperfect for you"
Kacey Musgraves ~ "The Architect"
ChrisLyne wrote:Maybe, but he was specifically asked about the new songs and POYB isn't new. The only people who have been asked directly about POYB are the new lyricists who said wait and see rather than no, just the film songs and the new ones. So it could go either way.
That's true. I feel like they would have said no if it wasn't in. Still, I feel it won't be.
It would be so weird for Jasmine's song to be about how she's not a prize to be won. I'd rather a song about her desiring freedom.
Listening to most often lately:
Ariana Grande ~ "we can't be friends (wait for your love)"
Ariana Grande ~ "imperfect for you"
Kacey Musgraves ~ "The Architect"
Sotiris wrote: I'm still worried though about Guy Richie's take on the material. I'm hoping it won't result into a movie that's ashamed it's a musical and downplays that aspect.
I'm not sure how much Disney moderates their directors, but I imagine that with how well BATB did, Disney will want Aladdin to be as similar to that as possible in its treatment. Although Guy Richie is hardly a director I would associate with Disney (Bill Condon too for that matter). I think from Disney's live-action directors, I mostly trust Kenneth Branagh and Jon Favreau, considering how both were respectful of the original source material but also gave their film a new spin that wasn't 100% similar to the original. Which is why I'm glad that Favreau is returning for The Jungle Book 2 and The Lion King, and I hope Branagh will make another Disney live-action film as well.
We’re a dyad in the Force. Two that are one. "I offered you my hand once. You wanted to take it." - Kylo Ren "I did want to take your hand. Ben's hand." - Rey
Navid Negahban talks about portraying the Sultan and his experience on the set of Aladdin.
Q: So what can we expect from the Sultan?
Navid Negahban: The sultan ― it was kind of like a childhood dream. It was like a kid’s dream come to reality. Just imagine me coming from [Mashhad, Iran, as] a kid who has a dream and is coming up and ends up playing the sultan in a Disney movie. It was an amazing journey. Beautiful people to work with.
This is one of the tricky questions ... because I don’t know how much I can talk about without me getting into trouble, but I just have to tell you that the sultan has a depth, and the story goes deeper, maybe deeper than the animation. It’s very heartfelt.
While promoting the new film 12 Strong, star Navid Negahban spoke with Dispatch Radio about his upcoming role in Disney’s live-action Aladdin film, due in 2019. “I play the Sultan,” Navid explained, “wrapping up my part late last year, before returning to America.”
The Homeland star reassured fans by stating the Guy Ritchie brings so much “passion” and a “commitment” to the project: “He just found beauty in these scenes…as the filming went on it really became like a family and Guy was just amazing, finding these little nuances to make it (the film) so much more intense or powerful.”
The new Aladdin star Will Smith as the Genie with Marwan Kenzari as Jafar, Naomi Scott (Power Rangers, Terra Nova) as Princess Jasmine and the young star Mena Massoud as the titular character who went from “street rat” to Prince in the classic animated film. “He’s on that journey,” Navid says of Mena being a relative unknown star and “he uses that to explore Aladdin…his growth and maturity. You really see that with Mena. I think you’ll love it.”
Navid could praise the team of creators and cast enough, repeating the “family” description of the time on set and said “Will brings so much energy and enthusiasm.” He did add that there were moments of ad lib from the Men in Black superstar, but the script was held to “faithfully”. “You will definitely love the film. It doesn’t matter how old you are, the film has something for you to take away from it.”
Disney Duster wrote:
Being seen as a prize doesn't mean you have all the lack of freedom Jasmine longs for.
Jasmine: How dare you! All of you! Standing around deciding my future? I am not a prize to be won!
I would ask you to explain why the above isn't about her lack of freedom, but I'm sure it would be jibberish.
Listening to most often lately:
Ariana Grande ~ "we can't be friends (wait for your love)"
Ariana Grande ~ "imperfect for you"
Kacey Musgraves ~ "The Architect"
Not being able to decide your future is a lack of freedom but what she's referring to in that scene is only her lack of who she gets to be with. I thought she longed for more freedom than just what guy she ends up with.
JeanGreyForever wrote:I hope Branagh will make another Disney live-action film as well.
He's directing Artemis Fowl, coming to theatres August 2019.
Albert
Oh yes, I forgot about that. Thanks for reminding me. I do hope he also gets more directorial chances when it comes to another live-action remake. Since those seem inevitable, I'd much rather they be in good hands from a trusted director like Branagh and Favreau.
We’re a dyad in the Force. Two that are one. "I offered you my hand once. You wanted to take it." - Kylo Ren "I did want to take your hand. Ben's hand." - Rey
There's a rumor going around which I highly doubt holds any water that Selena Gomez and Zayn Malik will be doing a rendition of "A Whole New World" for the live-action Aladdin. Update: Zayn Malik said he's not collaborating with Selena Gomez on a duet.
That doesn't sound so bad. Zayn Malik I don't mind at all. Selena is okay.
Listening to most often lately:
Ariana Grande ~ "we can't be friends (wait for your love)"
Ariana Grande ~ "imperfect for you"
Kacey Musgraves ~ "The Architect"
Sotiris wrote:There's a rumor going around which I highly doubt holds any water that Selena Gomez and Zayn Malik will be doing a rendition of "A Whole New World" for the live-action Aladdin.
That's a star power combo. And I think they'd be a better suit for this song than Ariana Grande and John Legend were for Beauty and the Beast. Hope this is true, especially since I've come to love Selena's voice since she's shed her Disney Channel days.
We’re a dyad in the Force. Two that are one. "I offered you my hand once. You wanted to take it." - Kylo Ren "I did want to take your hand. Ben's hand." - Rey
I don't know if I like that logo or not lol. I like parts of it like the two D's but not the first A. It's nice to get a look at what the Cave of Wonders looks like though. It's also nice to see that Jafar's silhouette looks pretty much exactly like his animated counterpart's.
We’re a dyad in the Force. Two that are one. "I offered you my hand once. You wanted to take it." - Kylo Ren "I did want to take your hand. Ben's hand." - Rey
I guess it's probably just a concept art, so I don't know if it will be like that in the final movie, but the cave of wonders looks interesting. It seems to be inspired by the lost city of Petra.
D82 wrote:I guess it's probably just a concept art, so I don't know if it will be like that in the final movie, but the cave of wonders looks interesting. It seems to be inspired by the lost city of Petra.
I can see that, too!
I like the logo except for the little lamp as the dot of the 'i.' For some reason I thought this was coming out Nov-Dec 2019 and was surprised it was finished filming so soon. I'm happy it'll be out next Summer. I believe I'll go to see this one in theaters if ticket prices aren't out of reason by then with Disney buying Fox and everything.
Listening to most often lately:
Ariana Grande ~ "we can't be friends (wait for your love)"
Ariana Grande ~ "imperfect for you"
Kacey Musgraves ~ "The Architect"
Sotiris wrote:There's a rumor going around which I highly doubt holds any water that Selena Gomez and Zayn Malik will be doing a rendition of "A Whole New World" for the live-action Aladdin.
That's a star power combo. And I think they'd be a better suit for this song than Ariana Grande and John Legend were for Beauty and the Beast. Hope this is true, especially since I've come to love Selena's voice since she's shed her Disney Channel days.
Gotta agree. And I hate to admit it, but I feel like Ariana and John's take on Beauty and the Beast was more like a Diet version of Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson's version.
