Here’s Your First Look at Will Smith as the Genie from “Aladdin” & Um, Yeah

Get ready for the first look at Will Smith as the Genie in Guy Ritchie’s live-action adaptation of Disney’s Aladdin. We all knew this was coming. In a year (or rather, the last few years) of live-action Disney remakes, Aladdin is a fan fave that is certain to entertain in 2019.

When Entertainment Weekly recently revealed exclusive photos of Smith, along with Mena Massoud as Aladdin and Naomi Scott as Princess Jasmine, the pics received some pretty…mixed responses, to put it lightly. While fans were all about the sneak peek into the new movie, some took to Twitter—noting a pretty obvious inconsistency with the animated original.

Okay, so if you expected Smith to twin-up with the animated Genie (voiced by Robin Williams voiced back in the day), the new pics will probably disappoint. As fans pointed out, Smith’s Genie lacked the characteristic blue tone from the 1992 version. Well um, yeah. Will Smith isn’t exactly a cartoon. And maybe we should’t expect him to look like one. Right?

Smith posted his own pic of the Entertainment Weekly cover, adding, “Check Me Rockin’ the Top Knot Ponytail Vibes in @enteratinmentweekly (and yes, I’m gonna be BLUE!).” EW also reassured fans, via Twitter, posting, “Rest assured, #Aladdin fans: Will Smith’s genie will be blue in the live-action film.”

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So there you have it. With a little CGI, the final edit will give us the character we’re all waiting for!

—Erica Loop

Featured photo: Disney Aladdin via Instagram

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