First image of Will Smith as Aladdin’s Genie revealed and people have issues
Guy Richie's live action film is due to arrive next summer
Some fans of Disney's animated feature Aladdin, which released in 1992, may be feeling a little skeptical about Guy Richie's live action reboot which is due to hit the big screen next year.
Disney's magical film was a box office smash, boasting enduring songs like 'A Whole New World' 'Friend Like Me', and has continued to enchant new generations over the course of a quarter of a century.
The Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrells director will undoubtedly bring his own flair for stylised action to proceedings, but that's the least of fans' worries right now as the first images of Will Smith as the Genie have been released.
Entertainment Weekly published shots of Smith, and co-stars Mena Massoud as Aladdin, Naomi Scott as Jasmine, and Marwan Kenzari as Jafar, this week and people have been expressing their reservations, particular about Smith as Genie.
The general consensus appears to be that he looks a little odd, and this may have something to do with his hair.
genie! my first wish. i wish that i'd never seen this. pic.twitter.com/R8JSMG52C4
— mango szn (@hullojess) December 19, 2018
Will Smith looks like Goro from Mortal Kombat 💀 #Aladdin #Disney pic.twitter.com/xIVKEGR3pa
— Tony Zark (@tonyshaazam) December 19, 2018
When I saw what genie will look like in #Aladdin pic.twitter.com/QtB85IQPiC
— The Comic Losers Podcast (@TheComicLosers) December 19, 2018
Just saw Will Smith as the genie in the live action Aladdin remake. My reaction....... #Aladdin pic.twitter.com/v6irLIjRC5
— Jason Wesney (@JasonWesney) December 19, 2018
*upon seeing Will Smith as Genie for the first time* #Aladdin pic.twitter.com/uLpMzwE38P
— Nick Bosworth (@NickMBosworth) December 19, 2018
I’m so excited to see Will Smith in Aladdin 😍 pic.twitter.com/3Rt9BRJWtv
— noah (@avatwatdo) December 20, 2018
Aladdin is looking at Genie the same way I'm looking at this photo pic.twitter.com/SgrMh5e4iq
— Ⓣ🅔ⓡ🅡ⓘ 🅓ⓞ🅣ⓨ (@TeeDotally) December 19, 2018
Those Disney purists are also concerned that he is not, in fact, blue in the images.
Genie ain't blue :'( #Aladdin pic.twitter.com/Ia9taqV1nj
— BossLogic (@Bosslogic) December 19, 2018
However, Smith assured fans that the version of Genie in EW is the genie in his human form. For most of the film he appears in CGI as blue.
Will Smith confirms that the version of Genie seen on the @EW cover is the Genie in 'human/disguise form,' and that his character will be mostly CGI in #Aladdin
— Fandom (@getFANDOM) December 19, 2018
(via Will Smith | Instagram & @sheilaslalaland)pic.twitter.com/59pdidzJ7W
Hopefully that means we won't have to look at this:
ALADDIN: Disney Fan Makes Will Smith's GENIE Blue and it's Mildly Terrifying!https://t.co/rd31ypZUoY pic.twitter.com/FjlpCqzU9H
— ComicBook NOW! (@ComicBookNOW) December 19, 2018
The big reveal generated a hell of a lot of memes as people struggled to adjust their eyeballs.
Twitter this morning pic.twitter.com/KM0UH53jYv
— Kyle Cardine (@Kyle_Cardine) December 19, 2018
It's that hair. It may take some getting used to...
Will Smith’s genie hair in the live-action #Aladdin is going to be a major source of anxiety for me in 2019. pic.twitter.com/FwG44LHiUj
— Jason Carlos (@jaarlos) December 19, 2018
— hunter harris (@hunteryharris) December 19, 2018
But people had other issues too:
The costume department behind this film really hates every gay millennial who found their awakening through Aladdin’s barechested vest aesthetic huh? pic.twitter.com/zDrw9q7qMq
— Calvin (@calvinstowell) December 19, 2018
However, there is one aspect of the reveal that people seem to like and that is actor Marwan Kenzari as Jafar. He's getting a lot of love on social media.
FINE I'll say it... the #Aladdin reboot has the villain Jafar looking like a whole snack. Heeey Marwan Kenzari ! Jafar NEVER looked this dang good. Oh and Will Smith should be blue if he's about to play Genie. pic.twitter.com/hMTMMM7voB
— Nicki Mayo (@nickimayonews) December 19, 2018
Y’all expect me to root for Aladdin when Jafar our here looking like a full balanced meal with desert on the side. Y’all playing. pic.twitter.com/qUi9h9hknU
— Flames... flames, on the sides of my face (@Dnellicious) December 19, 2018
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