Guy Ritchie in talks to direct live-action 'Aladdin'

Image from Collider

By Darian Scalamoni

            Another day, another piece of live-action Disney news. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Guy Ritchie is in talks to direct the live-action version of the 1992 animated classic, Aladdin. The script will be written with frequent Tim Burton collaborator, John August, who previously wrote Big Fish and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

            This is an interesting idea indeed due to Ritchie’s distinct directorial style. The filmmaker has directed movies like Snatch, Sherlock Holmes and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. His next effort, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword will be released on March 24^th. The original Aladdin is, in my opinion, one of the most underrated animated films of all-time. The 1992 movie retold the Middle Eastern-set folk tale of a young man who is granted three wishes by a genie who is trapped in a lamp. Along the way, an evil sorcerer covets the magical lamp and tries to retrieve it from Aladdin.

            Robin Williams played the genie in the original and was beloved in the role to which many refer to it as one of the best roles in the history of cinema. Aladdin was the highest-grossing film of the year back in 1992. The movie won Oscars for Best Original Score and Best Original Song for the classic “A Whole New World”. Sources say that August’s script will keep many of the musical elements. The studio has said that they intend to make this version non-linear which seems to be perfect for Ritchie’s style of directing but we’ll have to wait and see what happens.