Could Will Smith make all our wishes come true?
[dropcap size=small]R[/dropcap]emember that Christina Aguilera song? How does it go again? It was something about being a Genie…in…Oh yeah, a bottle. That’s right.
Whilst Aguilera’s Genie in a bottle was figurative, one very literal Genie (in a lamp this time) stole our hearts in Disney’s 1992 animated classic, Aladdin.
That was quite the segue, wasn’t it?
The big blue lovable spirit who grants wishes from his shiny golden lamp is one of the most memorable characters in the movie, and that’s not in the least because he was voiced by the late, great Robin Williams.
With the recent surge of Disney movies getting some live-action treatment, Aladdin is just one of many animated classics set to be brought to life in a whole NEW WORL-ah, uh…I mean a whole new way on the big screens in future (sorry about that. It’s Aladdin’s fault).
“But who will play the Genie in the live-action adaptation?”, I hear you ask. Well, according to Deadline (via The Guardian), Will Smith might be the next actor to fill the golden lamp. Deadline reports that Smith is currently in talks for the role, but nothing has been confirmed either way.
With Smith’s musical background, he could pull it off pretty well. I could easily imagine him performing Genie’s great solo song ‘A Friend Like Me’, and doing it justice at that.
Williams brought the Genie to life with oodles of charm and humour, so Smith certainly has a lot to live up to when it comes to tackling this role.
What do you think about the Fresh Prince of Bel Air taking on the role of the Genie? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
No other cast members have been announced yet, but the film is apparently said to start shooting in the UK this year, so we’re sure to find out more in the coming months.
