Aladdin (Live-Action)

[Disney Duster]

Another duet between the main characters is great news!

[JeanGreyForever]

My guess is that the song will be when Aladdin takes Jasmine to his home and will replace A Million Miles Away. I can't see them having any other moment where they would be able to share a heartwarming moment with each other and sing.

[Disney Duster]

That would be a good place for it.

[robster16]

https://www.star-magazine.co.uk/celebri ... -to-london

Guy Ritchie's Aladdin cast called back to London for reshoots

Guy Ritchie and the cast of Disney's new live-action version of Aladdin were reportedly called back for reshoots to give the movie a more Middle-Eastern feel. Filming on the project, which stars Mena Massoud as the title character, Naomi Scott as Princess Jasmine, and Will Smith as the Genie, originally wrapped in January (18). However, a movie insider told newspaper The Sun that cast and crew had to return to London earlier this month to reshoot several scenes with additional Middle-Eastern looking extras - as Disney bosses didn't feel their existing footage was authentic enough. A movie insider said: "Disney wasn't massively impressed with the first draft and had its cast return to London to reshoot parts of the movie. They are eager for it to do as well as last year's Beauty & The Beast, which made £1 billion at the box office."

The Sun's source claimed that producers felt initial footage wasn't true enough to its Arabian folk story source material - and so cast new, Middle-Eastern extras in a number of scenes. "They want it to be respectful and feel authentic, so they cast more Middle Eastern extras for crowd scenes," the insider said, also revealing that Will's role as the Genie has been expanded. Aladdin has already been hit by controversy, after an extra in the film, Kaushal Odedra claimed pale-skinned extras had been made-up to look more Arabian. Disney chiefs denied Odedra's claims, stating that make-up had only been used for crew members, stunt performers, and animal handlers, to help them blend into crowd scenes.

Will was also spotted in the U.K. last week when he promoted his eco-friendly bottled water range by going undercover as a member of staff at Boots.

After the reshoots, the insider said Disney producers are now "a lot more ­confident" the movie will be a hit on its release next May. Representatives for the company did not respond to a request for comment.

[Sotiris]

Also revealing that Will's role as the Genie has been expanded.

Even moreso? The genie's role is already pretty big. Don't they realize he's supposed to be a supporting character? The movie's called Aladdin for a reason. I'm worried this change will come at the expense of other characters.

[JeanGreyForever]

Yeah I'm sure there wasn't that much of a need to expand Will Smith's role unless they felt that the rest of the characters/cast weren't up to par.

[Kyle]

Expanding a role doesn't necessarily have to mean more screen time. They can just make him make some important decision.

[robster16]

We also do not know the extent of the part of the Genie in this particular version. Maybe it was innitially toned down from the original. I could see that Will Smith not being a Robin Williams ball of energy type of guy would have some extent on his screentime and appearance.

Maybe this is also the reason we haven't seen any teasers or trailers for the film yet. Best bet now is around the release of the Nutcracker film, late october or early november!

[Sotiris]

Aladdin has had two or three test screenings. As far as I know those screenings have been very positive. Families have come out liking it. By no means, the film is nowhere near complete. They are still in post-production. The CGI wasn't even complete in this past test screening they had about a month and a half ago. I know a couple of people that got to see the film and they said the whole theater was enjoying the heck out of it. From all the accounts I've heard, the film's actually pretty solid. I heard Will Smith is actually really funny as the Genie and from what people are saying his genie is very 'Fresh Prince of Bel Air'. It does it's very best not to copy Robin Williams'.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Lncofd6FRY

[Disney's Divinity]

Well, between this and TLK sounding good, looks like the TLM live-action film, like the Broadway show, will be the only one of the Fab Four that turned out godawful.

[JeanGreyForever]

Glad to hear that initial reports are full of praise. I hope we get more info soon.

[DisneyFan09]

You know what? Now that the Genie has been discussed, I think it's pity that they didn't went for Bryan Cranston as the role. Mainly because he managed to balance being gentle and funny. Perhaps not in the league of Williams, but still.

[disneyprincess11]

I heard Will Smith is actually really funny as the Genie and from what people are saying his genie is very 'Fresh Prince of Bel Air'.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Lncofd6FRY

What I was afraid of James Monroe Iglehart, by far, deserved the Genie in the movie! He is the only one who can capture Robin Williams' magic, but still be unique. Plus, my dad never stopped gushing about him (He LOOOOOVVVVED the Broadway show, which is why I can't really see it again. It'd be hard ).

[JeanGreyForever]

What I was afraid of James Monroe Iglehart, by far, deserved the Genie in the movie! He is the only one who can capture Robin Williams' magic, but still be unique. Plus, my dad never stopped gushing about him (He LOOOOOVVVVED the Broadway show, which is why I can't really see it again. It'd be hard ).

I was hoping he would get the role as well. He's an amazing Genie and totally deserves his Tony win. Wish he had the chance to showcase his profound performance on the big screen for the whole world to be able to witness.

I'm so sorry to hear about your father. I understand what it's like when you have memories so attached to a certain person who you've lost that it becomes difficult to experience something you really loved ever again.

[Sotiris]

Alan's comments make me worry even more about Guy Ritchie's approach. Will we be getting a movie that's ashamed it's a musical? That underplays and under-utilizes its musical theater aspect?

Q: You’re working on a live action version of “Aladdin” with Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. How is that writing technique different from the movie and then the stage show?

Alan Menken: It’s still in flux of what’s going to be in the movie. One song in particular we’re very excited about, and I had a great time working with the boys. It’s my music, but influenced by having them in the room.

Q: This is Guy Ritchie’s first musical, so what has that been like?

Alan Menken: It’s been exciting and, at times, challenging. There are aspects of musical theater where he goes, “I really don’t want to do that.” So the songs will really be taken to new place.

Source: https://www.ajc.com/blog/music/alan-men ... Znpj6dRWI/

[Atlantica]

Ahhh no, that isn't terribly encouraging. Hopefully it's just a clash of personalities ?

But I honestly can't see Guy Ritchie directing a musical, and I don't know why. Maybe it's the style of films he does, but it just isn't the vibe I get from him.

[JeanGreyForever]

I'm not surprised to hear this because from the beginning he's been talking about how this film will be very action oriented. I hope the comedy of the Genie, drama of Aladdin and Jasmine's romance, and the overall songs balance the tone of the film out.

[Disney's Divinity]

It's Tangled all over again. Why hire a director who hates musicals to create a musical?

[nomad2010]

I’ve personally never thought of Aladdin as full blown musical theatre like Beauty and the Beast. Aladdin sits in its own corner for me that nothing else has ever approached. The original is very action oriented, and only really approaches musical theatre in Friend Like Me. So I don’t find the decision to bring in Guy Ritchie too out of the box. I think what we’re seeing is that Disney wanted this to be a bigger, more fleshed out, less sugary sweet version of the original. And that’s my guess of what we’ll get. It won’t fit into the typical box, but neither did the original. Do I particularly like anything Ritchie has directed? No. But I can see how this could be a good fit. There were bits of genius in his Arthur Legend of the Sword movie. Very dark Disney... including what amounts to the closest representation of Ursula I’ve ever seen on screen. The script isn’t great. But I think it’s worth checking out if you want to see why Disney chose him.

[Disney's Divinity]

I haven't seen the Arthur film you're talking about (I had thought about seeing it, partly for the Arthur inspiration and the incredibly hot Charlie Hunnam, but it looked horrible otherwise), so are you referring to a Morgan le Fay character in that film being like Ursula? I don't think that's really something he should get credit for considering the Ursula character in Disney's TLM always felt very similar to Morgan le Fay anyway.

I don't mind that they got a director who's more action-oriented for Aladdin since Aladdin has a lot of battle scenes, particularly towards the end. It's the fact that he wants to stifle the musical side of the movie that bothers me. I've never thought of Aladdin as sugary sweet before.