By In the lead up to Aladdin’s release, a lot has been said about Will Smith being cast as the genie. I wasn’t opposed to the former Fresh Prince inhabiting the role, but I worried that the character would look like some awful abomination of CGI and mismatched art direction. The previous teaser we saw didn’t spark much confidence in me and now I’m almost convinced this remake is going to be a disaster.
During the Grammy’s last night, a new teaser for Aladdin finally revealed what the genie looks like and I wish I could unsee it. Again, I’m fine with Will Smith in the role (despite how lackluster his career might be), but that is a horrifying depiction of a classic character. For a remake that is leaning hard into a more realistic style, why does the genie retain almost all of his animated look?
Maybe I’m just overthinking this, but I do not like the look of this film. Despite utilizing more advanced technology, this remake has less art direction than the cartoon classic. Why is everything so dark and morbid looking? Why does everyone’s face look so stern and unenthused?
We’ll just have to see what the final product brings us. Aladdin will be hitting theaters on May 24, 2019. Make sure to bring some bleach with you, because staring at the genie for too long might require it.
Disney’s Aladdin – Special Look: In Theaters May 24 [Walt Disney Studios via YouTube]
