Eighties babies and 90s kids take their childhood movies very seriously, so when word got out Hollywood executives were thinking about turning the animated classic Aladdin into a live action film, attention was being paid.
A bit of a kerfuffle took place on social media last week when a rumor spread tapping someone to star as the lead was proving difficult. Surely if Hollywood could find a middle-eastern actor to play a terrorist in past films they would have no issue finding one to play a singing, street-smart kid with a pet monkey who lucks up on dusty lamp to procure his chances with the sultan’s daughter, right?
Well, we’re here to report that Hollywood did good. The cast for the live action remake was announced and Mena Massoud, who stars in the Amazon series Jack Ryan was born in Egypt and raised in Canada will play Aladdin. The role of Princess Jasmine will go to Naomi Scott, who is British and whose mother is from Northern India.
The lovable, hilarious, shapeshifting Genie who was originally played by the incomparable Robin Williams, will now be reprised by Academy Award nominee Will Smith.
Sherlock Holmes director Guy Richie will be the one to helm the project. No date has been set to begin production or when the film will hit theaters, but we’re hyped nonetheless.