Disney has officially unveiled its central cast for Guy Ritchie’s live-action adaptation of the classic animated film Aladdin. At the D23 Expo, the studio revealed who will play Aladdin, Jasmine, and the Genie:
- Aladdin — Mena Massoud (Jack Ryan)
- Jasmine — Naomi Scott (Power Rangers)
- The Genie — Will Smith
The news officially confirms the rumors that Will Smith will step into the role so famously played by Robin Williams in 1992.
The announcement comes after reports that the film was having a lot of trouble casting its lead role. While the studio reportedly had several actresses in mind for Jasmine (including the winner Naomi Scott), Disney apparently struggled to cast Aladdin.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the studio was looking for an actor in his 20s, who could sing and dance and was of “Middle-Eastern or Indian descent,” and it spent months screen testing actors with no success. With today’s news, it’s confirmed Canadian actor Mena Massoud will play the role.
There’s still no release date for Aladdin, but we are following the story and will update as soon as a date is revealed. GameSpot is covering D23 all weekend, so stay tuned for more Disney, Marvel, and potentially Star Wars news.