A Live-Action ‘Aladdin’ Sequel Is On Its Way
Breaking news for fans of of blue people: Disney has a live-action remake Aladdin is in the works. The script will be penned by John Gatins (Flight, Real Steel) and Andrea Berloff (Straight Outta Compton, The Kitchen). The main cast is expected to return, including Mena Massoud as Aladdin, Naomi Scott as Jasmine, and of course, Will Smith as the Genie. Director Guy Ritchie is set to return for round two, but no deals have officially been made.
The 2019 blockbuster was one of seven films to join Disney’s “Billion Dollar Club,” grossing $1.05 billion since its Memorial Day release. Despite lukewarm critical reviews, the movie performed well enough to warrant a sequel. The biggest question surrounding the sequel is what source material it will choose to draw from. Aladdin (1992) was followed up by the straight-to-video release The Return of Jafar, but it’s unlikely that the live-action franchise will follow suit. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Disney held a writer’s room last summer to “generate ideas for a follow-up.” It’s very probable that they’ll choose a story from One Thousand and One Nights, taking elements from “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves” or “Sinbad the Sailor.”
The Aladdin sequel will be released in theaters rather than directly on Disney+. While further details are still under wraps, we can only hope that Aladdin 2 will include more rapping from the Genie. That’s worth the price of admission alone.
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