Will Smith Shares First Images of 'Aladdin' and Assures Fans He's 'Gonna Be Blue'
Will Smith is looking magical!
On Wednesday, Entertainment Weekly shared the first look at Aladdin, Disney's live-action remake of the 1992 animated classic that's due out May 24, 2019. In the Guy Ritchie-directed flick, Smith stars as Genie, Naomi Scott plays Princess Jasmine and Mena Massoud takes on the titular role.
In the magazine's cover image, fans get their first look at the reimagined characters. Smith looks spectacular in a blue and purple outfit with gold jewelry, but the real magic comes in the form of a goatee and an impressive top knot.
"BAM!! First look at the Genie ?♂️, Princess Jasmine, and #Aladdin! Check Me Rockin’ the Top Knot Ponytail Vibes in @entertainmentweekly ?," Smith wrote alongside the cover on Instagram.
While the cover had some fans worried that Smith's Genie was abandoning the Robin Williams-voiced character's blue color, Smith was quick to assure fans that his blue look was definitely in the works. "(and yes, I’m gonna be BLUE! :-) )," he wrote on Instagram.
Of the Genie character, Ritchie tells EW that he "wanted a muscular 1970s dad" look.
“He was big enough to feel like a force -- not so muscular that he looked like he was counting his calories, but formidable enough to look like you knew when he was in the room,” Ritchie says.
Also in the image, Scott stuns in an ornate blue, gold and tan dress paired with jewelry and a crown. The role was a dream come true for Scott, who says that, while growing up, “having a Disney princess that looked something like me, I think, was really powerful.”
As for the leading man, Massoud is every bit the lovable street urchin fans would hope to see, wearing a striped collared shirt, red vest and a hat. “I’m really proud to be in a film that represents so many visible and ethnically different cultures,” Massoud notes of the flick.
Additionally -- following the October release of the movie's poster and teaser trailer -- EW released even more first-look pics from the film. The photos give fans a chance to see Aladdin and Genie talking, Jasmine hanging with her friend Dalia (Nasim Pedrad) -- a new character -- the villainous Jafar (Marwan Kenzari), monkey sidekick Abu and the incredible sets.
ET's Kevin Frazier caught up with Smith last month and he revealed that he was "terrified" to take on a role that was once played by Robin Williams.
"I was terrified doing the Genie after Robin Williams," Smith admitted at the time. "But I found a lane that pays homage. It is my own thing, you know? So I think people are going to love it."
"It's one of the greatest filmmaking experiences that I have ever had," he continued. "I have worked at most of the studios, and Disney just knows what they are doing. It was really a spectacular team of people that came together around a classic story. It's so spectacular, it's such a beautiful movie, and I can't wait for people to see it."
Watch the video below for more of ET's interview with the actor:
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