Disney is king (or is that princess?) when it comes to animated family films.  It’s latest, ‘Inside Out’ is a certified smash, overtaking ‘Jurassic World’ at the box office and easily fending off competitors like ‘Terminator: Genysis’ and ‘Magic Mike XXL.’  But when it comes to live action, the studio tends to falter.  Its latest, the universally well-reviewed ‘Tomorrowland’ tanked, following other massive bombs like ‘John Carter’ and ‘The Lone Ranger.’

James Monroe Iglehart as Genie on Broadway

But it’s not all doom and gloom on the live action front.  This past spring, ‘Cinderella’ scored and the studio already has plans in the works for a sequel to last summer’s hit ‘Maleficent.‘  Disney is working with its strengths, its established classics.  A live-action ‘Beauty & The Beast’ is in the works as well as a Tim Burton-directed adaptation of ‘Dumbo,’ a Jon Favreau-helmed ‘Jungle Book’ and ‘Tinkerbell’ with Reese Witherspoon attached.  And like ‘Maleficent,’ for its next venture, Disney is focusing on a a cult favorite character that wasn’t already a headliner, Aladdin’s friend ‘Genie.’

‘Genie’ will take place before the 1992 animated classic, focusing on the iconic blue spell-caster given life by Robin Williams in a performance that was largely improvised.  The new movie will take place in a world of genies and show how this one in particular became enslaved in his magic lamp.

The original movie showed Genie aiding street urchin-turned prince Aladdin as he wooed Princess Jasmine and fought off the conniving vizir Jafar, who sought to steal Genie’s powers.  Genie’s past is never discussed, nor is he ever given a real name.  This movie should explore all of that.

No director was announced, but Damian Shannon and Mark Swift (‘Freddy Vs. Jason,’ ‘Friday the 13th’) are currently working on the script.  (Don’t worry, the pair don’t only work on slasher flicks.  They have contributed to scripts for the ‘Baywatch’ movie and ‘O’Lucky Day’ a comedy starring Peter Dinklage as a man who tries to pass himself off as a real leprechaun.)

Are you intrigued to see a live action version of the super animated ‘Genie’?  What other Disney movies are ripe for live action translations?

Source: Screen Crush