Photo: Disney/Entertainment Weekly
To preview the anticipated live-action remake of Disney’s Aladdin, the Agrabah crew suited up in character with first looks of the film in this week’s issue of Entertainment Weekly. Fans have a lot of thoughts and feelings about the casting and appearance of the Disney crew.
In the photos, Mena Massoud and Naomi Scott pose as Aladdin and Jasmine, respectively, with Will Smith’s questionably-dressed Genie standing behind them for the magazine cover.
Smith is seen rocking (well, is he actually rocking it?) an ’80s-style Madonna-inspired ponytail atop his bald head, which reads more as King of Siam from The King and I mixed with Shaquille O’Neal’s Kazaam. Aladdin has gotten a modern-day makeover with a bright-red hoodie-vest, although fans weren’t happy that he was not shirtless. Scott’s Jasmine is the closest to her 1992 animated counterpart, however with far too many jewels and embellishments that didn’t match her character and personality, but perhaps I’m reading too much into it.
Fans of the iconic 1992 animated film weren’t too pleased with the revamped take on their wardrobe. Namely, that Smith’s Genie wasn’t blue. To soothe fans, Smith commented on Instagram, “I’m going to be BLUE! This is how the Genie is in Human/Disguise Form. My character will be CGI most of the movie.”
Social media users certainly had their own takes on the film stills, even liking costumes to something sold at Party City and the film to a pantomime production.
Other fans noted how handsome the actor playing Jafar (Marwan Kenzari) was, and those tweets are equally, if not more, entertaining.
