Aladdin (Live-Action)

[D82]

New promo. We can listen to a bit more of "Friend Like Me" in it. Despite the hip-hop style, in my opinion, it doesn't sound bad.

Here's also a new TV spot in low quality but with a lot of new footage.

[Sotiris]

New promo. We can listen to a bit more of "Friend Like Me" in it. Despite the hip-hop style, in my opinion, it doesn't sound bad.

The outro doesn't sound bad, I'll admit. But the rest of the song, I'm not so sure.

Here's also a new TV spot in low quality but with a lot of new footage.

I love the interactions between Aladdin and Jasmine. The actors have chemistry together. I also liked the One Jump Ahead instrumental. That dance move though looked really silly.

[JeanGreyForever]

I really love the second promo. It gives us some nice, new footage of Aladdin and Jasmine together.

I think the scene at the end is the "wedding" scene where Jafar comes to marry Jasmine while she's in the purple dress. It looks to be a wedding ceremony with the rest of the characters all dressed up and flowers draped around a gazebo of sorts. Looks like Jasmine throws herself off the balcony to escape from marrying Jafar and Aladdin rescues her on the carpet. Jafar must send a gigantic Iago to chase after them.

[Sotiris]

RealD 3D poster. Another cluttered, poorly-composited poster. This is the worst one so far.


Source: https://twitter.com/RealD3D/status/1125430021856870406

[JeanGreyForever]

I don't mind the poster. It's clearly meant to evoke a 3D vibe from all the action and moving parts, although I do prefer the color of the IMAX poster.

[Disney Duster]

Oh, personally I love the poster! It just needs Jafar on the right side instead of Abu, and put Abu on the left, to balance out the Genie and overall look.

[D82]

Clip with Aladdin and Genie:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9co2qyBIS0

The latest TV spot in better quality and a couple of new ones:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaEZ78O4F50
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvOHF9D7AyQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NY_NsxWQF-g

And other promos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54wZZODE2Ms
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ix062stDahU

RealD 3D poster. Another cluttered, poorly-composited poster. This is the worst one so far.

What I find weird about that new poster is that Genie and Abu are just standing there posing when they seem to be part of the same scene as the rest, which is full of action.

I also liked the One Jump Ahead instrumental.

I hadn't noticed it was "One Jump Ahead"! I also like it.

[disneyprincess11]

1) Surprised this hasn't been posted yet, but it sounds like Iago doesn't speak. What's the use of the character now?

https://twitter.com/stitchkingdom/statu ... 9805712384

2) I don't like the poster either. It's clearly a shot from the movie and then they Photoshopped the characters in.

3) I do not like Will Smith's FLM at all so far. Not only can Will not hit a note, it is just soulless. Hope the album proves me wrong.

4) Love Mena in that clip! He's just a doll as Aladdin.

I think the scene at the end is the "wedding" scene where Jafar comes to marry Jasmine while she's in the purple dress. It looks to be a wedding ceremony with the rest of the characters all dressed up and flowers draped around a gazebo of sorts. Looks like Jasmine throws herself off the balcony to escape from marrying Jafar and Aladdin rescues her on the carpet. Jafar must send a gigantic Iago to chase after them.

Great eye! I'm surprised that Jasmine won't have a "slave" outfit because that's a huge fan favorite.

[JeanGreyForever]

1) Surprised this hasn't been posted yet, but it sounds like Iago doesn't speak. What's the use of the character now?

https://twitter.com/stitchkingdom/statu ... 9805712384

I do not like Will Smith's FLM at all so far. Not only can Will not hit a note, it is just soulless. Hope the album proves me wrong.

We got confirmation about Iago on the page before this one. He'll just parrot things from scene to scene and probably be used more like Diablo in Sleeping Beauty (being sent off to spy, steal the lamp, etc.) besides the pivotal climax scene where he'll be turned gigantic to chase the main characters.

I'm not a fan of Friend Like Me either from what I've heard so far. He's really not a good singer although maybe I'll feel differently once I hear the full song. At least the main duo can hold a tune though.

[Sotiris]

Clip with Aladdin and Genie:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9co2qyBIS0

That clip also played during Will Smith's interview on GMA. The line "You'd be snuggled up with that dude for the rest of your life" rubbed me off the wrong way. It felt low-key homophobic. I know the original also had a "no homo" moment but I thought Disney was going to be more careful with this sort of thing now.

The latest TV spot in better quality and a couple of new ones.

Thanks. I like the instrumental versions of the songs they use in the trailers and spots. I know these were made specifically for this purpose but it'd nice if they included them on the soundtrack as bonus tracks. That shot with the ship and fireworks reminded me of a similar one in The Little Mermaid.

And other promos.

Will picking up Mena was adorable.

Great eye! I'm surprised that Jasmine won't have a "slave" outfit because that's a huge fan favorite.

I'm sure it's because that outfit is considered sexualized and offensive nowadays. The fact it's associated with Jasmine's enslavement doesn't help things either. The same happened with Princess Leia and her slave outfit. Disney banned its use in merch.

[lord-of-sith]

1) Surprised this hasn't been posted yet, but it sounds like Iago doesn't speak. What's the use of the character now?

Isn't Alan Tudyk voicing Iago? Wouldn't that imply he speaks?

[Sotiris]

Dolby Cinema poster. I'm not fond of this one either. They chose a weird, unflattering pose and Mena's face looks off.


Source: https://twitter.com/DolbyCinema/status/ ... 0012374016

[JeanGreyForever]

Yeah, I don't really like this poster at all. Aladdin looks really off. At least we get to see the piece of jewelry that Abu steals for Jasmine supposedly.

[Sotiris]

New Videos

Mena Massoud and Naomi Scott's appearance on GMA:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3GPBs4LStQ

Mena Massoud's interview with Build:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4POPGx6f3nE

Mena Massoud's interview with Sway's Universe:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yy7vnP4toMk

Mena Massoud's appearance on Live with Kelly and Ryan:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HScbOh4rEvA

Naomi Scott's appearance on Live with Kelly and Ryan:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9DUPXevAdg

Naomi Scott's interview with W Magazine:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kD7Kzzbsu0

Will Smith's appearance on GMA:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TX2P6ODbheg

Will Smith's appearance on Jimmy Fallon:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OCDJEK6G_g

Will Smith's appearance on Live with Kelly and Ryan:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9N56wbDQ-4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uIhGqsQiRw

New clip:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOXQGgAlA80

[nomad2010]

New clip:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOXQGgAlA80

I’m honestly shocked how good her costume looks in motion. And the effects and the lighting are very tasteful too.

I’ve also really been curious to see this movie after so many interviewers who have seen the film saying just how “big” the movie is. That’s not something people bring up these days. All movies are big. So this has to be something pretty special. I’ve got the feeling this is one of those films that the trailers don’t give us the full scope of, and that’s very exciting.

[WillytheDino]

New clip:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOXQGgAlA80

I’m honestly shocked how good her costume looks in motion. And the effects and the lighting are very tasteful too.

I’ve also really been curious to see this movie after so many interviewers who have seen the film saying just how “big” the movie is. That’s not something people bring up these days. All movies are big. So this has to be something pretty special. I’ve got the feeling this is one of those films that the trailers don’t give us the full scope of, and that’s very exciting.

I love her hair.

Also, the acting and chemistry is sublime. I'm excited!

[JeanGreyForever]

Is it just me or does Rajah look really fake in that scene?

[Sotiris]

Information on the music from the press kit and 'The Art of' book. There isn't a single mention of the second new song which probably means it was cut from the film. I'm still holding on to a tiny bit of hope that it'll be featured on the soundtrack but chances are looking slim.

From the press kit:

While director Guy Ritchie had never helmed a musical prior to “Aladdin,” his films are heavily influenced by music. “This is a musical in its purest traditional form,” he says, “and I liked the challenge. I didn’t try to be too ambitious or try to reinvent the wheel in terms of a musical, but I did want it to feel like it was fresh enough while still keeping the original tone of the first film.”

The score and songs by eight‐time Academy Award® winning composer Alan Menken and Oscar‐ winning lyricists Howard Ashman and Tim Rice from the 1992 film are perfect as is, but Ritchie wanted to make them feel more contemporary, both lyrically and musically…an idea that Menken embraced wholeheartedly. The songs in the animated film were embedded in the music of the Arab world with flourishes of jazz here and there. Menken’s new arrangements incorporate pop elements and showcase the musical talents of Will Smith.

The lyrics for “Prince Ali,” the film’s biggest song‐and‐dance production number, were tailored to better fit the actor’s persona. Says Smith, “‘Aladdin’ is a rare combination of cinematic tools. Very few films have singing, dancing, drama, comedy, action and special effects…all those elements in a single movie, and we have it in a single scene.”

“Guy really wanted to take chances with the music but at the same time he was deeply respectful of the original songs,” continues Smith. “He knew how he wanted it to sound and how he wanted it to feel but gave me the freedom to use my hip‐hop background and bring a fresh vibe to it.”

The live‐action score is very symphonic and resonant of old Hollywood in many aspects. “Most of the time Guy likes things to be very spare, but there are times when the score just explodes,” says Menken. “It is obviously pulled from the themes of the songs, almost exclusively, but it is much more live action in its textures and its tone.”

“Arabian Nights” is now a complete musical number that serves as an introduction to the story and its enchanted setting. Menken worked with Oscar®‐and Tony Award®‐winning songwriters Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (“La La Land,” “Dear Evan Hansen,” “The Greatest Showman”) to create new lyrics. “The job really was to be following along with the camera as it soars through Agrabah, setting up this world for the audience,” says Menken. “We rewrote some of the lyrics to go with the visuals that Guy had in mind, introducing Jafar and basically setting the stage for the rest of the film. It’s a much bigger, much more ambitious number than it was originally.”

For Pasek and Paul, working with the legendary composer was the opportunity of a lifetime. “Alan and Howard were our childhood heroes…they wrote the songs that made us want to be songwriters,” says Pasek. “We think the reason our generation is so in love with musical theatre and the reason this resurgence is happening right now is because of Howard and Alan. We grew up loving musicals and musical theatre storytelling and that’s because of what these guys wrote.”

“When we were first starting out and someone would ask us what we wanted to do or who we wanted to be, it was always, ‘We want to be Alan Menken, Howard Ashman. We want to write for Disney, like for a Disney animated musical…that’s our dream,’” says Paul.

And the admiration is mutual. “Benj and Justin are like my progeny, so to speak; they are wonderful,” says Menken. “I’m tough on writers, but these guys are really, really good. I wanted this to be a real collaboration between Justin and Benj and me, not just, ‘Oh, Alan Menken and the next collaborators or whatever,’ that wasn’t the point. The song is a collaboration of our styles, as it should be.”

“Speechless” is an original new song written by Menken and Pasek and Paul, performed by Jasmine, who is ready to find her voice. “It starts with a solo piano, very intimate, and really gets into the soul of Jasmine,” explains Menken. “And then as it builds, it builds in the arrangement and the intensity and then at the end comes back full circle to that intimate piano with her voice reaching out over it. It has a beautiful arc to it, but the sound is orchestral and pianistic.”

“This is Jasmine’s big breakout song where she decides she is going to stand up for what she believes in,” says executive producer Marc Platt (“Mary Poppins Returns”), who worked with Pasek and Paul on “La La Land.” “The song parallels her arc in the story, sung timidly by Jasmine early on and then as a big empowering moment later in the film. Jafar has seized power as her father stands by helpless, and she finally has the strength to tell him what she envisions for her future.”

“As the script was developing, it became clear that this Jasmine was going to be more powerful and outspoken than ever and that it was time for her to have a big number,” says Paul. “Her character was emerging as someone who would have this moment to really stand up and say, ‘I do have a voice, and I will not remain speechless.’”

“This is a woman who is being told who she has to be and how she has to live in the world, and then she doesn’t have a voice,” adds Pasek. “So it made a lot of sense for this really strong woman that so many girls have grown up loving to talk about reclaiming her own power.”

The choreography designed by Jamal Sims (“Hairspray,” “Step Up”) was somewhat contemporized as well. Both “Prince Ali” and “Friend Like Me” feature break‐dancing moves, giving them a modern feel and sense of authenticity, too. “These are both big performance pieces,” says producer Dan Lin. “It was both the Genie’s time to shine and the perfect opportunity for Will to show how multi-talented he is‐he has to act, sing and dance in the iconic set piece.”

For “One Jump Ahead” performed by Aladdin as he and Jasmine are being chased through the streets of Agrabah, the choreographed moves were fast‐paced, athletic and more appropriate for a Guy Ritchie film. “We never intended for Aladdin to dance in that song,” Sims says. “It is more of a stylized action sequence. There is a lot of movement, but the moves belong more in the stunt category.”

From the Art of book:

In the original film, the introductory song "Arabian Nights" is sung by an old merchant known as the peddler, who sets the scene for the magical world of Agrabah. Lyricists Benj Pasek and Justin Paul wrote new lyrics for the song to reflect the change in who was singing the song.

"It was not someone who was living in Agrabah; it was someone who was coming to this city," says Paul. "We were tasked with giving the audience a visceral, stimulating vision of what this film's Agrabah is: a sort of meeting place of cultures. We wrote lyrics about the spices, the people bartering, and the bazaars because we wanted to color the experience for viewers as they're being welcomed into the world of Aladdin."

"With new lyrics from Pasek and Paul, 'Arabian Nights' is now twice as long as what is in the original movie," notes Sullivan. "As soon as we played the new instrumental track for Will, he yelled, 'This is the way I wanna open all my concerts!' It's just so bold and cinematic."

One of Jasmine biggest moments in the film comes in the form of a new song written by composer Alan Menken and lyricists Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. Frustrated by being silenced, Jasmine unleashes a powerful ballad that allows her to find her voice again. The songwriters came up with the idea while working in Menken's studio and went through a few versions before landing on the final arrangement.

"We've been playing with arrangements a lot," Menken says. "We had a very pop-oriented arrangement initially, which I think works beautifully, except that it didn't feel in keeping with the fabric of the rest of the score. Instead, we've gone with a more orchestral version. It'll feel much more like a piece from the score, and I think it's that much more integrated."

When they finally played the song for music supervisor and producer Matthew Rush Sullivan and music editor Chris Benstead over the phone, the impact was immediate. "As soon as we heard it, we thought, 'Wow that's it, that's it,'" Sullivan remarks. "She's been told, growing up, she should be seen and not heard. She finds her voice throughout the movie, and at the end she puts her foot down, and says, 'I'm not going to go speechless.' It's one of the biggest, strongest moments of the movie."

Alan Menken adds, "We really had to work with the book to plant the seeds of her feeling intimidated and feeling like she's not allowed to speak her mind, and have the song come at just the right moment when she says, 'No, I will not remain speechless anymore.'"

"We were really inspired by the original movie," Benj Pasek notes. "The 'ahah' moment for us was when we went back to the source material. Jafar says condescendingly to Jasmine late in the film: 'You're speechless, I see. A fine quality in a wife.' It felt right for her to make a declaration that she would not be subjugated in that way. It was a real opportunity for her to stand her ground and sing about those philosophies, and felt like a natural extension of this very strong, powerful, and determined Disney princess. I think people gravitate to Jasmine because she is such a strong female character, and we were inspired by that and aimed to give her a song, and a moment, that matched her power."

While the team did pre-record the vocals for the scene, Sullivan also prepped actress Naomi Scott to perform the song live on set. "We really wanted to capture Naomi's best performance on the set and give her the flexibility to deliver a performance that is true to the emotions that she's feeling in that very moment," he notes.

"All the crew had goose bumps when she sang 'Speechless' on the stage," executive producer Kevin De La Noy says. "All of us just looked at each other thinking, 'We just witnessed history.' It took everyone's breath away. Everyone just knew that that was extraordinary. And it's not just the lyrics of the song — they were great, and the music is great — it's what she then did with it."

Scott was able to tap into Jasmine's intense emotions during the evocative, empowering musical number, accurately demonstrating this major turning point for Jasmine.

"She's shut down by Jafar throughout the movie, and she really wants to lead, and she's trying to persuade her father to see her in that light," Scott says of Jasmine. "This song is an expression of her just not raking it anymore. It's that moment of realization of who you are. That actually, as a woman, you already hold so many amazing qualities and skills that are strong. Having feminine qualities is really strong and amazing and actually makes you a better leader and actually helps you see the world in a different and a better way."

[nomad2010]

For as much hype as they’re trying to give Jasmine’s song, you’d sure think they’d have made an announcement on the soundtrack by now and have pre-orders up

[JeanGreyForever]

I think it's amazing that Naomi Scott sang Speechless live on set! I can see why the book was praising her talents and saying that she outshone every expectation.

“The song parallels her arc in the story, sung timidly by Jasmine early on and then as a big empowering moment later in the film. Jafar has seized power as her father stands by helpless, and she finally has the strength to tell him what she envisions for her future.”

This part caught my eye because it sounds like she'll sing the song early on in the film and then a more epic breakout version towards the end. Maybe the "second song" is a reprise then.

For “One Jump Ahead” performed by Aladdin as he and Jasmine are being chased through the streets of Agrabah, the choreographed moves were fast‐paced, athletic and more appropriate for a Guy Ritchie film.

That's interesting that One Jump Ahead will no longer be an introduction to Aladdin but instead highlight when he and Jasmine first meet.