During the 2019 Grammys, Disney fans and everyone else were finally given a peak at something we’ve been wondering about: Will Smith’s take on the Genie. The one-minute trailer shows Mena Massoud’s Aladdin being introduced to the Genie. A trailer for the film was released in October last year, but this is the first time we get to see Smith’s Genie in action. When asked about the difference between his take on the character versus the late Robin Williams’ original take, Smith said, “There’s a little bit less mimicking—there’s a James Brown piece that we do but a little bit less mimicking. The thing that will be the major addition from me playing the Genie is the hip-hop base. I think that’ll be fun for people. I think it’ll stand out as unique even in the Disney world. There hasn’t been a lot of that hip-hop flavor in Disney history!”
Aladdin will be coming to theatres on May 24, 2019. It’s directed by Guy Ritchie. Massoud and Smith are joined by Naomi Scott, who will play Jasmine.
Source: The Verge