The director says in an interview that it will be 'tough not to make it a musical' and adds that he is still looking for cast members.
- May 10, 2017
AceShowbiz - Guy Ritchie has opened up about "Aladdin" live-action remake he is about to direct. During an interview with Nerdist, Ritchie confirmed that "Aladdin" live-action film will be a musical. This means that "Aladdin" may have similar vibe with recent Disney's blockbuster "Beauty and the Beast (2017)".
"It'd be tough not to make it a musical," said Ritchie. "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," he added.
Recent report said that Will Smith was in talks to play the Genie. When asked by E! News about the matter, Ritchie didn't confirm it, but he didn't deny it either. "I can't give you any updates. I mean, I like Will Smith very much," said Ritchie. "It would make me very happy to be making it with him, but the whole thing is very exciting. I'm looking forward to it."
Another report added that before approaching Smith, Disney actually reached out to comedian Kevin Hart to play Jaffar's bird Iago. There hasn't been any announcement from Disney regarding the matter, though.
Ritchie will helm "Aladdin" remake from a script written by John August. The movie hasn't had a release date yet, but it's speculated to be released either in late 2018 or spring 2019.