In a recent interview with Variety, Aladdin star Mena Massoud spoke about the progress of the sequel, stating: Aladdin’s producer, Dan Lin, had previously indicated that the sequel to the live-action film would not follow the 1994 Disney sequel, The Return of Jafar, saying: Following the announcement of the sequel in 2020, John Gatins and Andrea Berloff were set to write the script, but that seems to no longer be the case. However, Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich are still expected to return as the producers, and Guy Ritchie will return for the sequel. Despite Will Smith’s scandalous 2022 Oscar slap, he’s expected to reprise his role as Genie. Although the altercation with Chris Rock seemed like a career-ending act, many celebrities have come forward to defend Will Smith, and during the Red Sea International Film Festival last week, Guy Ritchie advocated for the 54-year-old actor, saying: When asked if he would consider recasting Will Smith as the Genie, he said: Aladdin is among the many live-action adaptations and remakes of Disney animated films that have been released, and factoring in the success Disney has gained from this strategy, it doesn’t look like they’ll be stopping any time soon. Fans of The Little Mermaid animation can look forward to the live-action adaptation that is scheduled to be released on May 26, 2023.
