10 High-Profile 2019 Movies You Should Be Worried About
3. Aladdin (May 24)
The Movie:
Yet another classic Disney animation getting the live-action treatment, Guy Ritchie directs a diverse cast in a supposedly 'ambitious and nontraditional' story that sees Will Smith attempt to step into the daunting shoes of Robin Williams by playing the Genie.
Why You Should Be Worried:
Guy Ritchie has a very distinct visual style that suited his British crime thrillers and the Sherlock Holmes movies, but proved difficult to translate to his last two theatrical features, both of which bombed at the box office.
They were very clearly 'Guy Ritchie Movies', but his stylistic flourishes often seemed ill-at-ease with the narrative that was surrounding it. So his hiring to adapt one of Disney's most beloved animated features certainly looks an odd choice on paper.
The production hasn't been without controversy either. Disney were adamant that the cast be authentically diverse, yet still faced criticism from some quarters when Naomi Scott and Mena Massoud were cast as Prince Jasmine and Aladdin respectively, along with having to address accusations of 'browning up' white extras while shooting crowd scenes.
As the only major star in the cast, much of the heavy-lifting during publicity will fall on the shoulders of Will Smith, who faces the unenviable task of living up to Robin Williams' legendary performance, perhaps the most famous voice-over in Disney's entire history.
A director and star both in need of a hit surrounded by a cast of relative unknowns in a tricky adaptation of a universally-popular classic; what could possibly go wrong?