Will Smith in early talks to play Genie in Disney’s live-action Aladdin remake
Will Smith is about to get some phenomenal cosmic power in return for an itty-bitty living space.
The actor is in early talks to play the genie in Disney’s live-action Aladdin remake, according to Deadline.
Will Smith is in talks to voice the genie in Disney’s upcoming Aladdin remake, but is he up to the job?
Should Smith manage to land the plum role, it could prove very, very lucrative. Live-action remakes have become a cash-cow for Disney after Beauty and the Beast stormed the box office.
But the potentially massive pay cheque does come with a catch. Smith will have massive shoes to fill, given the original Genie was voiced by Robin Williams in the original 1992 film.
The role will also be a change of pace for Smith, who has been starring in a string of action films lately. These include the 2016 film Suicide Squad and the upcoming fantasy cop thriller Bright.
However, playing a blue, singing genie wouldn’t be a stretch too far for Smith. He did, after all, become a household name after playing a young rapper in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
Like Beauty and the Beat, the Aladdin live-action remake isn’t expected to deviate too much from the original animated classic. The new film will still follow the story of how Aladdin stumbles across a magic lamp and releases a genie who grants him three wishes.
While Smith is being scoped out to play Genie, Aladdin and Princess Jasmine are expected to be played by up-and-coming actors.
Production is set to kick-off in July and wrap-up by 2018.
The original Aladdin earned Disney more than $660 million worldwide.
