WithGuy Ritchienow set to direct Disney’s highly-anticipatedAladdinremake, the studio is shifting into casting mode. A new casting call has surfaced, which reveals that rehearsals for both theAladdinand Jasmine roles will take place next month, and that filming is slated to begin this summer. The casting notice may also put some fans at ease, since it’s clear that Disney is looking for Middle Eastern actors, with the studio making good on its promise that the cast will not be “whitewashed.”
TwitteruserDani Fernandezposted the casting notice, which reveals that the studio is looking for actors and actresses between the ages of 18 and 25, who “must be able to sing,” with dance experience a plus. Filming is slated to begin this July, running through January 2018 in the UK, although it isn’t specified which studio will be used for this live action adaptation. The fact that the casting call specifies Middle Eastern characters may be a sigh of relief for some, following the “whitewashing” controversy that swirled aroundThe Great Walland the upcomingGhost in the Shell. ProducerDan Linstated in a recent interview that the studio and directorGuy Ritchiewanted to stay true to these characters. Here’s what he had to say, while adding that they are looking for fresh talent to inhabit these roles, adding that these actors must havesinging chops.
“Listen I’m very fortunate working in Hollywood, I am diverse. So when I came in to make the movie, I wanted to make a diverse version of the movie. Luckily for meGuy Ritchiehas the same vision and Disney has the same vision, so we’re not here to makePrince of Persia. We want to make a movie that’s authentic to that world. We’re gonna be discovering new people because it’s a real challenge, because not only does an actor have to act, but they really have to have singing chops. Disney’s done an amazing job fromCinderellato nowBeauty and the Beast. So they’ve really raised the bar for these musicals and theseanimation-to-live-action adaptations, that we have to then raise the bar on Aladdin. Disney’s done such a good job betweenCinderella,Beauty and the Beast, and thenAladdinwill hopefully be the next one up.”
Guy Ritchieis directing from a script byJohn AugustwithDan Linproducing through his Lin Pictures company. While there isn’t arelease datein place at this time, it’s possible the studio could be aiming for either a late 2018 release, or a spring 2019 release, which would fall in line with the release of several of their live-action adaptations, such asCinderellaand next week’sBeauty and the Beast, which both debut in mid-March. There have been no story details released at this point, and it remains to be seen how different this live-action story will be from the original animated classic. The originalAladdinearned a whopping $217.2 million domestically during its theatrical release in 1992, with $504 million worldwide. When adjusted for inflation, that domestic tally equates to a $453.6 million movie today.
We also reported back in 2015 that Disney was developing anAladdin prequelentitledGenies, with the studio bringing aboard writersDamian ShannonandMark Swift(Friday the 13th) to write the screenplay for the project, described as a “live-action comedy adventure.” This story was said to take fans inside the realm of these magicalGenies, centering on howAladdin’s particular genie becomes enslaved in this lamp. It isn’t known if that project is still moving forward or not. While we wait for more on Disney’s live-action Aladdin remake, take a look at the casting poster below, which includes information on how to submit an audition tape.
