Aladdin: Managing Expectations for the Live-Action Remake

No matter your expectations, I have one piece of advice. If you’re going to see the live action version of Disney’s Aladdin, and are planning to compare Will Smith to Robin Williams, don’t. Sorry to break it to you, but it just won’t be the same. The best part of it? They don’t have to be. I’ve already seen 100’s of articles saying how big the shoes Will Smith needs to fill are. Please don’t ruin a movie that’s supposed to be fun for all ages by holding it to such high standards.

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Robin Williams is a once in a lifetime, over the top comedian. His zany antics were the perfect marriage of fun and humor that set the tone for an animated classic. This, however isn’t animation, it’s live action. What works well as a voice actor might not transition well live. There’s no doubt in my mind Will Smith can pull off an excellent Genie. One of the biggest draws of the Genie in Aladdin is his sense of humor and timing in his one-liners, which plays to Smith’s wheelhouse. Throughout his career, roles like The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Men In Black play into family friendly comedies. His days as Mike Lowry in Bad Boys were two of the funniest films even to this day. There’s nothing in the cards that says Will Smith won’t be funny in this film.

If you go into Aladdin expecting Robin Williams, you’re just going to be let down. Don’t do the actors who have put the time and heart into a story we’ve all grown up to love a disservice. Go to see how the visual effects play out on the big screen. Go to see how your kids love the story you once loved. Go to honor Robin Williams and the way he paved for this new cast to recreate this fantasy world. Don’t go as the Rotten Tomatoes critic who just wants to see if Will Smith holds a candle to Robin Williams and ruin the fun for everyone else. Wait for it to come out on streaming. It’s a family friendly film bringing back our nostalgia and passing it on to kids of our own. If that’s you’re sole purpose, please do the rest of the audience a favor, and stay home.[CMRickTwitter]