A new Aladdin TV spot is hyping up Disney’s action-packed remake. The live-action retelling of the 1992 animated classic is now less than two months away from its release date. So far, Disney has been biding their time with regard to promoting the film, and fans of the original are quite curious to see what this version will bring.
That being said, there’s been no small amount of concern from fans online with each new Disney reveal. Will Smith’s portrayal of the genie came almost immediately under fire last year when the film’s first teaser image revealed that he wasn’t blue. After assurances that the character - who was made iconic by Robin Williams in the 1992 original - would be blue in the film, a teaser was released, only to be wildly derided online for its cheap looking CGI that hinted at the growing possibility that this retelling may end up being a paint-by-numbers Disney fiasco. With the recent arrival of the film’s first trailer, however, more positive opinions have begun to form.
Disney’s latest attempt at showing off their upcoming fantasy-adventure romp comes to us courtesy of their official YouTube channel. The footage in question is a thirty second TV spot for Aladdin, which manages to squeeze in a heavy dose of fast-paced action and prominent nods to the film’s animated source material. There isn’t much here that wasn’t on display in the first full length trailer, but the TV spot focuses less on the humorous relationship between Smith’s genie and Aladdin and more on the adventure ahead for Aladdin and Jasmine.
Check this video:
Given the less than euphoric responses that Aladdin has received online thus far, it’s understandable why Disney might be worried about the film’s prospects. However, it’s important to remember that the original Aladdin carries with it such a heightened degree of nostalgia and enjoyment for many, and this has been drastically amplified since the tragic 2014 passing of Robin Williams. For this reason, many would argue that Disney has had the odds stacked against them right from the beginning with this remake. But of course, Disney has a lengthy history of magical releases - some obvious, others complete surprises. And with more live-action remakes on the way in light of the glowing success of past efforts like The Jungle Book, as well as Beauty and the Beast, the Mouse House is currently doing just fine.
If there is one reason to be concerned over this upcoming release, it’s the appointment of Guy Ritchie as director. To date, Ritchie’s resume doesn’t boast anything remotely in the realm of family-friendly fun and his only significant hits over the course of the last twenty years of filmmaking have been his Sherlock Holmes adaptations. Still, Will Smith as the genie is a choice that has been somewhat undervalued ever since it was first announced. No one can ever replace Williams, but that doesn’t mean that the charm and humor that have made Smith the megastar he is won’t offer its own touch of magic when this live-action Aladdin remake hits theaters in May.