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The wait is over! We now know what Will Smith's Aladdin Genie will look like and... let's say it's interesting, because we're setting a goal of staying positive for 2019!
Some first-look shots of Guy Ritchie's long-awaited remake of the classic Disney film recently appeared in Entertainment Weekly, and they created quite the stir on Twitter!
The Disney classic is known best for its outsized genie played by Robin Williams, in a delightfully manic performance that became instantly quote-worthy--big shoes for a new start to fill! As director Guy Ritchie told EW:
"The great thing about the role of the Genie is that it's essentially a hyperbole for who that individual actor is, so it's a wonderful platform and tapestry for an actor to fill his boots on."
And when it comes to big personalities in Hollywood, it's hard to argue against Will Smith as a perfect choice. Ritchie, on the other hand, was an unconventional choice to direct the film, known best for high-energy, ultra-violent heists and smash-em-ups like Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch.
But as a father of five, Ritchie felt he could combine his family-man status with his previous skills to create something unique and family-friendly:
"My skills and experience could add enough to make it feel fresh and worth it, but not so much so that it would wash away nostalgia."
But it seems that when it comes to that last part--nostalgia--movie fans might need a bit more convincing! As soon as the new photos dropped, Twitter had a lot to say--specifically about the fact that Smith isn't blue:
But it wasn't just the lack of blueness that was vexing people:
And his hair wasn't popular either...
Which, fair enough. But while there's likely not much to be done about the hair, the blue skin problem will be taken care of by the time of the film's 2019 release.
Phew, thank God for that! Let this be a lesson for all future remakes: don't change the original too much, or purists will argue with you till they're blue in the face! (I'm sorry.) Purchase the original Aladdin on DVD or Blu-ray here. on DVD or Blu-ray here.