'Aladdin' Live-Action Prequel in the Works at Disney

[Lencho01]

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/aladdin-live-action-prequel-works-808895

July 15, 2015 3:16pm PT by Borys Kit
'Aladdin' Live-Action Prequel in the Works at Disney (Exclusive)

If you've ever wondered how the Genie got into that lamp in the first place ...

Disney is going back to the world of Aladdin, its 1992 animated classic, with a live-action prequel.

The studio is developing Genies, a live-action comedy adventure that is being written by Damian Shannon and Mark Swift. Tripp Vinson is on board to produce via his Vinson Films banner.

Aladdin is a centuries-old Arabic folk tale that got the animated Disney treatment in 1992 in a film featuring Robin Williamsas the voice of the blue-skinned Genie.

The movie tells the story of Aladdin, a street urchin who finds a lamp that unleashes a Genie who grants him three wishes. A love interest and a sorcerer also figure into the proceedings.

The new project would focus on the realm of the Genies and reveal how Aladdin's Genie ended up enslaved in the lamp.

Although Genies is only in the early stages of development, the long-term plan is to have the project lead into an Aladdin live-action movie.

Vinson, an exec producer on this summer’s hit San Andreas, is producing Bob the Musical, Disney’s music-inclined comedy which Michel Hazanavicius is directing, as well as Prince Charming, also for the studio.

Shannon and Swift made their mark early working on horror movies such as Freddy vs. Jason and the Friday the 13th remake. But they segued into comedy, working most recently on the Baywatch movie project and O’Lucky Day, which has Peter Dinklage attached, both at Paramount.

The duo are repped by UTA and attorney Jeff Frankel at McKuin, Frankel.

 

[Fallen Angel]

We knew they would go there. So here it is.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/aladdin-live-action-prequel-works-808895?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+THRComicCon+%28The+Hollywood+Reporter+-+Heat+Vision%29

Disney is going back to the world of Aladdin, its 1992 animated classic, with a live-action prequel.


The studio is developing Genies, a live-action comedy adventure that is being written by Damian Shannon and Mark Swift.

Tripp Vinson is on board to produce via his Vinson Films banner.


Aladdin is a centuries-old Arabic folk tale that got the animated Disney treatment in 1992 in a film featuring Robin Williamsas the voice of the blue-skinned Genie.
The movie tells the story of Aladdin, a street urchin who finds a lamp that unleashes a Genie who grants him three wishes. A love interest and a sorcerer also figure into the proceedings.


The new project would focus on the realm of the Genies and reveal how Aladdin's Genie ended up enslaved in the lamp.

Although Genies is only in the early stages of development, the long-term plan is to have the project lead into an Aladdin live-action movie.


Vinson, an exec producer on this summer’s hit San Andreas, is producing Bob the Musical, Disney’s music-inclined comedy which Michel Hazanavicius is directing, as well as Prince Charming, also for the studio.
Shannon and Swift made their mark early working on horror movies such as Freddy vs. Jason and the Friday the 13th remake. But they segued into comedy, working most recently on the Baywatch movie project and O’Lucky Day, which has Peter Dinklage attached, both at Paramount.

 

[Doctor Jones]

I wouldn't mind a cool Jasmine movie. Think of what you could do there. Tackling a more Disney-fied live action Middle Eastern world would be interesting if given the Cinderella treatment.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Why not? After "Cinderella" and my hype for "Beauty and the Beast", I'm ready to see what they can do.

 

[Fallen Angel]

I really hope they don't mess this one up as Aladdin is my favourite of the classics.

 

[kvz5]

We knew they would go there. So here it is.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/aladdin-live-action-prequel-works-808895?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+THRComicCon+%28The+Hollywood+Reporter+-+Heat+Vision%29

Consider me intrigued.

Aladdin was my childhood Disney crush.

 

[The Guard]

I mean, if the movie shows how "Genie" became such a fractured personality, it might be an interesting watch.

 

[Silvermoth]

Consider me intrigued.

Aladdin was my childhood Disney crush.

Me too. He made me first realise I may not be wholly straight

I wonder who they'll get for genie. Bit sad recasting him so soon after robin. He really can't be replaced.

Wonder if they'll cast Middle eastern actors?

 

[Airwings]

I really happy that we'll see this film as a live action. This is one of the ways to expand the fantasy genre now that we got several updates of *Disney* fairy tales in the last few years.
Will Ali Baba and Sinbad follow? I do hope so.

I also want more greek myths. Fantasy isn't just about knights and wizards during medieval times in worlds that look like Britannia.

I wonder who they'll get for genie. Bit sad recasting him so soon after robin. He really can't be replaced.

This isn't a sequel or even animated. And it was 23 years since the previous film. Did you expect Hollywood to tie actors to certain characters for decades?

They will find a new actor and create the genie's looks based on him.

Wonder if they'll cast Middle eastern actors?

It will be the right thing to do. I don't think it's a good idea to white wash this.
If they can find really talented actors from Egypt and other arabian countries, it will be good.
Then we have to ask if they should speak their native language or english?

And while they can mix humour with more serious elements, I really hope the film feels like a fairy tale/fantasy adventure. There shouldn't be anything that ties any part of the plot to today's politics. Not even in a subtle way.

 

[psylockolussus]

Well I hope it is based on the 90s animated film by Disney... I don't want something like Malificent or the 2010 Alice in Wonderland film or Oz 2013.

 

[sueb1863]

Good luck telling the story of the animated Aladdin's Genie without Robin Williams. Unless they're going for a completely different version of the Genie, which they're pretty much going to have to do. Nobody else can do that interpretation of the Genie like Robin.

And am I the only one who never really wondered how the Genie got in the lamp? It doesn't really matter, does it? He says it's 'part and parcel of the whole Genie gig' so I always thought it was simply a facet of being a Genie. He got in there because that's where Genies go.

 

[CB Fan]

Me too. He made me first realise I may not be wholly straight

I wonder who they'll get for genie. Bit sad recasting him so soon after robin. He really can't be replaced.

Wonder if they'll cast Middle eastern actors?

I would hope but I know better than to hold my breath.

 

[kvz5]

I wonder who they'll get for genie. Bit sad recasting him so soon after robin. He really can't be replaced.

Wonder if they'll cast Middle eastern actors?

This is just the prequel but once they get to Aladdin, I bet they'd go for someone like Oscar Isaac. Then again, maaaaybe they'd be brave enough to hire a Middle Eastern actor as Aladdin and then they'll just get an A-Lister for the genie. Kind of like what they did with Cinderella where she's played by a fairly unknown and then they got Cate Blanchett and HBC.

 

[Boy Scout]

Mmkay, Disney.

 

[Airwings]

kvz5: Don't you think they cast younger than Oscar Isaacs for Aladdin?
He's supposed to be a young lad

 

[Hunter Rider]

Some intriguing possibilities with this one.

 

[Lasirius]

This sounds cool.

 

[Black Narcissus]

Emma Stone for Jasmine.

 

[Fallen Angel]

Emma Stone for Jasmine.

There would be blood on the street's if that happened.

 

[dark_b]

an Aloha joke? i like that

 

[The Shape]

Just what everyone was asking for! An Aladdin prequel about the Genie!!!

 

[danoyse]

Good luck telling the story of the animated Aladdin's Genie without Robin Williams. Unless they're going for a completely different version of the Genie, which they're pretty much going to have to do. Nobody else can do that interpretation of the Genie like Robin.

James Monroe Iglehart has been playing the Genie on Broadway for over a year on Broadway now and he’s been pretty awesome. He won a Tony and his “Friend Like Me” has been getting standing ovations.

He doesn’t play it like Robin Williams at all (who can?) but he still brought all the humor and all the heart.

 

[SuperT]

There would be blood on the street's if that happened.

Seriously. If they did this and didn't hire Middle-Eastern actors - oh boy! They'd have a PR nightmare on their hands.

 

[Primal Slayer]

Emma Stone for Jasmine.

She's already been half-asain so Jasmine wouldn't be a stretch lol.

 

[VictorDomashev]

This would be a good Jasmine

But why would Jasmine be in a Genie Prequel Movie ?