Movies: Disney's Aladdin [Live Action] (Directed by Guy Ritchie)

[JA]

With the recent announcements of the CGI The Lion King and live action Mulan remakes, it seems no surprise that Aladdin would be next.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/disneys-live-action-aladdin-enlists-936881

Disney's Live-Action 'Aladdin' Enlists Guy Ritchie to Direct
October 10, 2016 11:00am PT by Borys Kit

Guy Ritchie, the stylistic director behind the Robert Downey Jr-starring Sherlock Holmes movies, is in negotiations to helm Disney’s live-action adaptation of its 1992 animated classic, Aladdin.

Dan Lin, who was a producer on the Holmes movies for Warner Bros., is producing what the studio will be an ambitious and non-traditional take on Aladdin via his Lin Pictures banner.

The 1992 movie was part of Disney’s animation renaissance and retold the classic Middle Eastern-set folk tale of a young man granted three wishes by a genie trapped in a lamp and the evil sorcerer who covets the magical object.

The genie was voiced by Robin Williams, who won audiences over with his unrestrained performance, making Aladdin the highest-grossing film of the year. The movie also won Oscars for best score and best song, the latter for A Whole New World, one of the movie’s six songs.

The movie launched a small Aladdin franchise for the studio and it was in recent years translated to the stage.

John August wrote the script for the live-action version which sources say will keep many of the musical elements of the original. Still to be determined is the approach to the Genie, which to this day remains closely associated to Williams' singular and defining performance. Also, part of the non-traditional aspect of the project is the studio's intent to make it non-linear, a move right out of the Ritchie playbook.

Ritchie made his name directing snappy crime thrillers such as Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch that used that kind of storytelling. He last directed The Man from UNCLE and is in post on King Arthur, Warners’ upcoming take on the Camelot legend.

He is repped by CAA.

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[Finlandia WOAT]

Love Ritchie. Will see this.

 

[BonMorrison]

Ritchie's an interesting choice. I imagine they're really gonna play up the thieving part of Aladdin's character with a lot of style and quick cuts.

 

[HanSolo]

I didn't know about the Mulan one. Interested to see how this one goes.

 

[Naych_PHX]

Oh what the...

I don't have problem with Ritchie exactly. Some good, some bad. I'm open minded. These stories are centuries old, gone through many interpretations. But we'll see.

Alladin is borderline sacred to me in terms on Disney movies. Being a 90s kid, I was obsessed with this movie coming to VHS.

 

[izzy]

His last movie lost a bunch of money didn't it? Should be a good bounce back.

 

[beowulf]

But but who will play the genie? Nobody will match Williams on this one.

 

[Finlandia WOAT]

His last movie lost a bunch of money didn't it? Should be a good bounce back.

Man from Uncle made 109 million on a 75 million dollar budget: but if you throw in marketing, that's probably breakeven at best. Not that Man from Uncle was particularly bad.

 

[RandV]

Curious to see how they'll cast this, as they were going to white wash some elements of Mulan but buckled under pressure and switched to a proper Asian casting. Specifically I think they were going to change the animated storyline to make the Male lead and romantic interest to Mulan a European trader, but not anymore.

So I'm going to guess they'll skirt the controversy and just cast actual middle Eastern actors for Aladdin from the start.

 

[Afino]

Alladin is borderline sacred to me in terms on Disney movies. Being a 90s kid, I was obsessed with this movie coming to VHS.

I cannot tell you how many times I listened to the soundtrack. Sacred, indeed.

However, I'm intrigued.

 

[Le Tricolore]

But but who will play the genie? Nobody will match Williams on this one.

aw man, I was excited about this movie, but now I'm sad. No idea who they'll get, but he'll have to play the role entirely different than Williams. Don't try to do the same thing

 

[discostu]

Curious to see how they'll cast this, as they were going to white wash some elements of Mulan but buckled under pressure and switched to a proper Asian casting. Specifically I think they were going to change the animated storyline to make the Male lead and romantic interest to Mulan a European trader, but not anymore.

So I'm going to guess they'll skirt the controversy and just cast actual middle Eastern actors for Aladdin from the start.

I'm intrigued by this project as proper casting seems like it's the only way to go, but, that's not the type of risk that you expect from Disney.

I'm also a little worried about the speed that these projects are getting announced. Rarely does fast tracking projects to capitalize on recent successes work out great. If the filmmakers behind these films have unique takes behind them that's driving it, then great, but I'm getting sceptical.

 

[KaylaJ]

Jason Statham as the Genie or something or I'm not watching

 

[Dr Pepper]

Hold on a second.....

Are you telling me, that my favourite director will be filming a live adaptation of my favourite Disney movie?

Really?

Jason Statham as the Genie or something or I'm not watching

Oh totally.

Also, not sure how they'd depict Iago but I think Vinnie Jones would make a great evil sidekick.

 

[beowulf]

aw man, I was excited about this movie, but now I'm sad. No idea who they'll get, but he'll have to play the role entirely different than Williams. Don't try to do the same thing

Agreed, maybe with it being live action the genie, like CGI, won't be as comedic?

 

[irunthepeg]

See this one I can at least see translating to live action... Lion King, nah. Hopefully they don't ruin everything the cartoon built.

 

[WarriorOfGandhi]

I would hate this, except Guy Ritchie is directing it, and I love Guy Ritchie. So I don't know how to feel this feel.

 

[Big Poppa Puck]

But but who will play the genie? Nobody will match Williams on this one.

Came here to say this.

 

[HanSolo]

Jason Statham as the Genie or something or I'm not watching

Personally I'd like Danny Devito...now that I think about it if Disney tried to reboot Hercules wouldn't that be like the third Hercules movie in like the last 5 years?

 

[KaylaJ]

Personally I'd like Danny Devito...now that I think about it if Disney tried to reboot Hercules wouldn't that be like the third Hercules movie in like the last 5 years?

give and take linky The Hercules reborn is a direct to video of The Rock's version I believe.

 

[WTFetus]

Disney announced the main roles yesterday.

Mena Massoud as Aladdin
Naomi Scott as Jasmine
Will Smith as Genie

Hope it doesn't turn out too much like your typical Rom-Com.
I like Will Smith and all, but not too confident in that genie choice either.

 

[Aladyyn]

Of these 3 casting choices I like Smith the most.

This has "amusing disaster" written all over it, but fingers crossed.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

I don't trust Guy Ritchie. He had 2 fun and stylish movies at the beginning of his career but hasn't made a legitimately good film in 17 years.

 

[Blueblood9]

Disney announced the main roles yesterday.

Mena Massoud as Aladdin
Naomi Scott as Jasmine
Will Smith as Genie

Hope it doesn't turn out too much like your typical Rom-Com.
I like Will Smith and all, but not too confident in that genie choice either.

Dont know much about Mena Massoud but i know Naomi Scott from the power rangers and Lemonade mouth(was babysitting my niece and she owns the remote when i do) and she can sing.

Smith is an odd choice but well see.

I hope to god they dont **** this up. This move is near and dear to my heart my favorite disney movie

 

[discostu]

I actually think Will Smith is a pretty good choice. A list actor with singing and comedy chops. It can work. The Genie is probably the hardest role to cast due to Robin Williams legacy from the role.

Don't know much about the others, but, I think it's good that they seem to do a lot to find people who fit the roles.

My biggest concern is the tone of the film, as I'm not sure how it translates to live action.

Take the songs out, and it's a pretty standard action romance tale that you can see a director like Ritchie tackle, but throwing in half a dozen musical numbers and its a very different movie. It worked as an animated film, but not sure it can maintain that same approach as live action.