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#10: Genie’s Human Attire
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Robin Williams and Will Smith aren’t the only actors who’ve left their mark on Genie’s legacy. When the stage version of “Aladdin” made its debut on Broadway in 2014, James Monroe Iglehart enchanted audiences with his Tony-winning portrayal of the magical wish fulfiller. Instead of painting his face blue, Iglehart donned a mostly blue outfit with echoes of Genie’s animated counterpart. The live-action remake takes a similar approach for Genie’s human form. While not an exact replica of Iglehart’s wardrobe, Will Smith’s mix of blue and gold attire clearly takes a page from the Broadway show. Given the early reactions to Genie’s CGI form, drawing inspiration from the stage musical was probably a wise idea.
#9: Genie/Merchant Theory Is Canon
Have you ever noticed that Genie and the merchant from the 1992 animated feature have a great deal in common? Not only do they share identical color schemes, but both possess Robin Williams’ sharp comedic timing and voice. This sparked a theory that the merchant is actually Genie in disguise, just as Aladdin was more than he seemed. Co-Director Ron Clements confirmed this theory in 2015, saying that was the original intention, but the big reveal didn’t make the final cut. In the live-action “Aladdin,” we first see Will Smith as a man aboard a lamp-shaped ship where he tells his children the story of “Aladdin” and sings “Arabian Nights.” This man of course turns out to be Genie, finally canonizing this theory.
#8: Alan Tudyk’s Disney Takeover
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Whenever the latest Disney movie hits theaters, true fans know to keep their ears open for Alan Tudyk. This voiceover chameleon has become a mainstay of Disney’s recent animated features, portraying King Candy in “Wreck-It Ralph,” the Duke of Weselton in “Frozen,” Alistair Krei in “Big Hero 6,” Duke Weaselton in “Zootopia,” Heihei in “Moana,” and KnowsMore in “Ralph Breaks the Internet.” He even lent his voice to K-2SO in “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” It was only a matter of time until Tudyk made his way into a live-action Disney remake. In “Aladdin,” Tudyk inherits the role of the scheming parrot Iago, although he doesn’t try to mimic Gilbert Gottfried’s distinctive voice.
#7: Seeing the Light
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From the movie’s opening musical number, the audience is immediately given the nostalgic feels as Will Smith starts singing “Arabian Nights.” In the midst of Smith’s rendition, however, the audience is suddenly reminded of another Disney movie. As we journey through Agrabah, a cluster of citizens are seen launching shimmering lanterns into the night sky, an image Disneyholics will always associate with “Tangled.” Is this merely an homage to the 2010 animated feature or are the people trying to guide princess Rapunzel to Agrabah? Hey, Rapunzel already apparently knows Anna and Elsa, so it wouldn’t be a stretch if she had a connection to Jasmine too.
#6: The Fresh Prince of Agrabah
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While explaining the rules of wish-granting, Genie tells Aladdin that he needs to be super careful with his wording. For example, making someone a prince can carry multiple meanings. Genie demonstrates this when he conjures up a prince out of the blue. While the prince is only seen from afar, his combo of lime green and purple attire is reminiscent of the clothing Will Smith’s character wore on “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” When the prince shouts, “Y’all seen my palace,” we can only assume that he’s talking about Uncle Phil’s manor in Bel-Air. Even more amusing, the prince is played by Jamal Sims, who choreographed the movie. We wonder if he knows how to do The Carlton?
#5: Iago’s Arabian Nightmare
One of the most notable changes in the “Aladdin” remake comes in the climax. Instead of Jafar showing Aladdin how snakelike he can be, Iago is turned into a giant bird more fearsome than the dinosaurs from “Jurassic Park.” The filmmakers didn’t simply yank this idea out of the sky. It’s directly based on the roc, a massive bird of prey from Middle Eastern folklore. The roc has popped up in a variety of Arabian tales, including the “One Thousand and One Nights” story collection, which provided the basis for Disney’s “Aladdin.” Gee, imagine if Iago was voiced by Gilbert Gottfried here. His sonic scream probably could’ve shattered every eardrum in Agrabah!
#4: Cinderella’s Castle
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You’ll either need a pause button or an especially astute eye to catch this sneaky Easter egg. While Aladdin and Genie are busy discussing wishes, Carpet can be spotted in the background constructing a sand castle. This isn’t any ordinary castle, however. It’s Cinderella’s iconic castle from the Magic Kingdom in Disney World. Before getting trapped in the Cave of Wonders, we guess that Carpet flew over Cinderella’s kingdom. Either that or Carpet is the architect who will one day construct Disney’s most famous structure.
#3: Frank Welker
While the remake is primarily comprised of new cast members, there is one actor from the animated version who returns. Frank Welker may not be a household name, but any animation enthusiastic will tell you that he’s nothing short of voiceover royalty. Welker’s resume is too lengthy to list off here, but in the original “Aladdin” alone, he voiced Abu, Rajah, and the Cave of Wonders. Talk about a versatile talent. Welker reprises all three roles for the live-action version. Although there’s a gap of over 25 years between these movies, Welker can still bring the chills whenever he summons the Cave of Wonders’ commanding voice.
#2: Genie Drawing
Welker’s vocal talents aren’t the only link to “Aladdin’s” animated roots. Although Genie performs an entire musical number about his powers, the lamp, and the wishes, Aladdin still doesn’t entirely follow. In order to make the situation crystal clear to Al, Genie breaks out a scroll with a few familiar sketches. The drawing consists of Aladdin, the Sultan, and Genie, although all three characters appear much closer to their animated counterparts than their live-action ones. The Genie in particular is the spitting image of the animated version’s, serving as a welcome tribute to the late Robin Williams. Before we get to our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions: Genie Impersonates Rambo Welcome to Jurassic Park Hidden Mickeys Did Genie Invent Yoga? Prince Anders’ “Frozen” Roots
#1: Disney Parks
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At the end of the original “Aladdin,” Genie sets off to see the world wearing a Goofy hat, indicated that he’s heading to a Disney Park. We wouldn’t be surprised if a trip to Disneyland or Disney World is on Genie’s bucket list in the remake as well. Since Jasmine has never heard of Ababwa, she insists that Aladdin show it to her on a map. Genie is able to correct this with a little magic, but he doesn’t settle for just adding Ababwa. He also sprinkles images of Adventureland, Tomorrowland and Fantasyland onto the scroll, complete with a few recognizable attractions. As a matter of fact, Disney World’s Adventureland is where you can hop aboard the Magic Carpets of Aladdin ride.
