Aladdin (2019)
4K Ultra HD | Blu-ray | DVD | Digital
Director: Guy Ritchie
Writer: Guy Ritchie, John August
Cast: Will Smith, Mena Massoud, Naomi Scott, Marwan Kenzari, Navid Negahban, Nasim Pedrad, Alan Tudyk, Billy Magnussen
Distributor: Walt Disney Studios
Rated PG | Runtime: 128 Minutes
Release Date: September 10, 2019

Walt Disney Studios continues to go through its vault to turn their animated classics into live-action films. Their latest is Aladdin. Based on the 1992 animated film of the same name, this live-action take is directed by Guy Ritchie, who brings his penchant for fun and stylized action sequences and a cast of wonderful characters to his first family-friendly film. The updated film dazzles thanks in part to its cast, consisting of Mena Massoud, Naomi Scott, and Will Smith, and its new take on some favorite songs.

Now, Disney’s hit film has its own release, along with some of the bonus features that detail the making of this live-action remake.

Screen Media Films has released a NSFW red band trailer for Corporate Animals, an upcoming dark comedy. The movie comes from Patrick Brice, who previously co-wrote, directed, and starred in the awesome 2014 microbudget horror Creep with fellow star and co-writer Mark Duplass, and also wrote and directed The Overnight and co-wrote (with Duplass once again) and directed Creep 2. The screenplay was written by Sam Bain (Four Lions, Peep Show).

The title features an excellent cast, with Demi Moore, Jessica Williams, Karan Soni, Ed Helms, Nasim Pedrad, Isiah Whitlock Jr., and Calum Worthy all starring. In it, Moore plays a CEO who takes her employees on a team building retreat, a trip which turns into a massive disaster.

You can find more info on Corporate Animals and check out the red band trailer below.

Guy Ritchie‘s filmography is splattered with heavy amounts of witty dialogue and gritty action sequences. While it may not necessarily lend itself well to a Disney family-friendly film, his filmmaking style works in Aladdin. Based on the 1992 animated film of the same name, the upcoming live-action version is part of a successful trend that has Disney going through their vault to see which one of the animated classics they could reimagine into a live-action film next.

There’s action, suspense, and a bit of romance. But there is also humor, singing, and dancing. All of these are key aspects the animated original had. So to say that director Ritchie and the cast had a huge responsibility to do the film justice would be a vast understatement. And yet, they pulled it off.

Geeks Of Doom attended the Aladdin global press conference with their fellow journalists to talk to Ritchie about the production, how he stayed true to the spirit of the animated original, his style of filmmaking, the positive vibes that helped set up the camaraderie and set the tone, and more. Check out what he had to say here below.

Based on the 1992 animated classic of the same name, Aladdin was one of Disney’s first animated features to have characters of color. Representation is important in this day and age because it allows people of color and the marginalized to see themselves in the characters seen on screen. So it was significantly important to reflect that in the casting of the live-action adaptation of Aladdin. Though there were reports of some casting issues, director Guy Ritchie and the rest of the Disney team were dedicated to finding the right actors for the film. And they found them in Mena Massoud, who plays the title character, and Naomi Scott, who plays Princess Jasmine.

Geeks of Doom and a group of journalists were invited to attend the global press conference in Los Angeles, CA, where Massoud and Scott talked about what it was like to be a part of the production, working with Ritchie, and how they all infused some of their own personalities and quirks into the characters while also respecting the animated original. Check out what they had to say below.

Aladdin
Director: Guy Ritchie
Writer: Guy Ritchie, John August
Cast: Will Smith, Naomi Scott, Marwan Kenzari, Navid Negahban, Nasim Pedrad, Alan Tudyk, Billy Magnussen
Distributor: Walt Disney Studios
Rated PG | Runtime: 128 Minutes
Release Date: May 24, 2019

There is absolutely no room for error when it comes to adapting a Disney animated classic into a live-action film. The studio has recently found some modest critical and commercial success with some of their titles. But the one common thread that each of them shares is that all of them are a part of a legacy and each has a large existing fanbase. So the bar of expectation for a live-action take on Aladdin is pretty high. Especially when it comes to capturing the same spirit of the story, themes, and music. But most of all, the characters, like Aladdin, Jasmine, and the unforgettable Genie.

Luckily, Guy Ritchie‘s take on the film is something that stays true to the spirit of the animated original while still maintaining his style of filmmaking. A huge surprise at best, the film captures everything that we love about the animated original through its cast, especially with Will Smith‘s Genie and Naomi Scott‘s scene-stealing performance as Princess Jasmine. With some slight updates to the story and songs, along with a brand new song from Alan Menken, this version of Aladdin is an upbeat and fun contemporary take on the 1992 original.