Today marks the start of production for Disney’s latest live-action flick, Aladdin. The film stars Mena Massoud as the title character who falls in love with the Sultan’s daughter, Princess Jasmine (Naomi Scott). As with nearly all the live-action adaptations that Disney has released so far, you can expect Aladdin to stay true to the spirit of the animated original while also adding in a few contemporary elements so that it can connect to a new audience.

One of those elements is Will Smith, who will play the iconic Genie, a magical being who grants Aladdin three wishes after he frees him from his lamp imprisonment. Now with production in full swing, Smith has released a brand new photo of himself, Massoud, Scott, and Marwan Kenzari who’s playing Jafar. Check out the image below.

Though it is still in the very early days of development, Guy Ritchie‘s adaptation of Walt Disney’s animated hit, Aladdin, is coming along very nicely. While at the D23 Expo, it was announced that Egypt-born, Canada-raised Mena Massoud, and Power Rangers star Naomi Scott, would play Aladdin and Princess Jasmine, respectively. Will Smith, who was previously reported to be in talks to voice Genie, would also be confirmed for the cast.

Now the cast grows by adding two new actors. Dutch-Tunisian actor Marwan Kenzari is in talks to play Jafar, the scheming advisor to the Sultan, and SNL‘s Nasim Pedrad will join the cast as a new character created for the film. More on the story below.

David Ayer knows how to tell a story about cops in Los Angeles. In fact, most of his films are about cops in the City Of Angels. So it comes as no surprise that Bright, his follow-up to Suicide Squad, features Will Smith as an L.A.P.D. officer. But what separates this particular film from the rest is that Smith’s character is partnered up with an orc named Jakoby (played by Joel Edgerton). That’s because Bright takes place in a world where humans co-exist with fairies, orcs, and other monstrous creatures that usually go bump in the night.

Though the two don’t get along at first, they are forced to put their differences aside when a magic wand surfaces, and everyone is out to get it so they can have their wishes granted. Check out the trailer here below.

Once upon a time, not too long ago, Will Smith was in talks for a role in one of Disney’s live-action remakes of their animated classics, the new take on Dumbo being directed by Tim Burton.

That ultimately didn’t work out. But now comes word that he’s up for another Disney role, and it’s a much more well-known character than who he was going to play in Dumbo. It’s being reported that Smith has entered into early talks to take on the role of Genie in Disney’s live-action remake of Aladdin.

It was recently revealed that The Grey and Smokin’ Aces director Joe Carnahan will be making a re-imagining of the hit Indonesian action flick The Raid with Frank Grillo starring. This in addition to working on the screenplays for both X-Force and the Uncharted video game movie.

All of these projects led many to wonder when Carnahan would get to Bad Boys 3, also known as Bad Boys for Life, which he has been attached to since June of 2015. We now have an answer to this question. Carnahan has walked away from the long in development trilogy-maker, leaving Sony to find a new director.