Will Smith Shares First 'Aladdin' Remake Cast Photo As Filming Starts

The start of filming for Disney’s newest live-action remake, “Aladdin,” has officially been confirmed by Will Smith.
Disney is ramping up its vast catalog of classic film remakes. The studio has already done “Maleficent,” “Cinderella,” “The Jungle Book,” and “Beauty and the Beast.” Next up on their list is Guy Ritchie’s adaptation of “Aladdin.” It will be similar to how “Beauty and the Beast” was done—giving justice to the original story while adding a few original elements to it.
Disney has brought together an impressive roster of cast members made up of newcomers, rising stars, and seasoned veterans. Smith is among the latter group and will take on the role of Genie, previously voiced by the late great Robin Williams. While his performance remains to be seen, Smith has released the first meaty teaser from the set of “Aladdin.”

The First ‘Aladdin’ Cast Selfie

Smith shared the first ever cast selfie from the “Aladdin” set o his official Facebook page, and it shows him standing alongside his co-stars Mena Massoud (Aladdin), Naomi Scott (Jasmine), and Marwan Kenzari (Jafar).

With principal photography currently ongoing, it’s great to see Smith putting in his comedic chops to push these relatively unknown stars into public awareness. Scott, however, is already a bit out there as she previously starred in this year’s “Power Rangers.” The photo also shows how incredibly diverse the cast is. Disney put out a huge casting call to find the right actors from different backgrounds for “Aladdin.”
Among the other cast members for the film is Billy Magnussen (who was signed on in an unspecified original role), Nasim Pedran as another new original character, and Numan Acar for a villain role. The roles of Jasmine’s father the Sultan and the talking bird Iago have yet to be officially announced.