Guy Ritchie has confirmed the live-action remake of Disney’s ‘Aladdin’ will be a musical.
The ‘King Arthur: Legend of the Sword’ director was announced to be helming the reboot by the studios as part of a number of adaptations Disney are making following the success of ‘The Jungle Book’ and ‘Beauty and the Beast’.
Speaking to Nerdist, the 48-year-old filmmaker – who is married to model Jacqui Ainsley – said: "It’d be tough not to make ‘Aladdin’ a musical. It’s too early because I’ve really just immersed myself into that project. So I’m still looking for cast members, we still haven’t found exactly which direction we’re going in. I’m confident that at some stage it will reveal itself to me but right now it’s just a bit too premature."
The originally 1992 animation won two Oscars for the music featured, including Best Music and Original Song for ‘A Whole New World’.
‘Aladdin’ is one of Disney’s most beloved and successful classics earning more than $504 million worldwide and the characters are prominent at the company’s theme parks.
It has also been turned into a hit stage show playing at theatres all over the world.
‘Suicide Squad’ actor Will Smith is rumoured to be joining the cast of ‘Aladdin’ as the Genie – the main comic part which was voice by the late Robin Williams in the cartoon.
If Smith does join the cast of ‘Aladdin’ he will be the latest major Hollywood star to step into the world of Disney live action movies, which have proven to be hugely successful for the entertainment company.
‘Beauty and the Beast’ – starring Emma Watson as Belle and Dan Stevens as the titular Beast – has been a huge hit, banking an astonishing $1 billion at the box office worldwide, currently making it the 21st highest-grossing film of all-time.
Angelina Jolie starred as the titular villain in the ‘Sleeping Beauty’ inspired ‘Maleficent’, Johnny Depp played The Mad Hatter in ‘Alice in Wonderland’ and Lily James took the title role in ‘Cinderella’.
As well as ‘Aladdin’, Walt Disney Studios is also remaking ‘Dumbo’, ‘Mulan’, ‘Peter Pan’, ‘The Lion King’, ‘Pocahontas’ and ‘The Little Mermaid’.
Guy Ritchie confirms Aladdin will be a musical
