Aladdin sequel in ‘early development’ at Disney – report
Disney is reportedly working on a sequel to its live-action remake of Aladdin, following the massive success of the film. According to Variety, plans for a follow-up film are in "early development" after producers are said to have spent the past six months pondering what direction to take the next movie in. The industry publication reported that writers John Gatins and Andrea Berloff will be returning, while executive producer Ryan Halprin and producers Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich are also said to be back on board for a second film. It's unclear at this stage whether director Guy Ritchie will return to the helm for the sequel, but Variety added producers "hope to bring back stars Will Smith, Mena Massoud and Naomi Scott" – who played the Genie, Aladdin and Princess Jasmine, respectively, in the 2019 film.
And while the original animated Disney movie Aladdin had two straight-to-video sequels, it's believed this movie won't be based on any of those films.
The news comes after star Massoud admitted he was struggling to find his feet in Hollywood, despite the movie grossing over $1 billion.
"I'm kind of tired of staying quiet about it," he told The Daily Beast last year. "I want people to know that it's not always dandelions and roses when you're doing something like Aladdin: 'He must have made millions. He must be getting all these offers'. It's none of those things. I haven't had a single audition since Aladdin came out."
And while the original animated Disney movie Aladdin had two straight-to-video sequels, it's believed this movie won't be based on any of those films.
The news comes after star Massoud admitted he was struggling to find his feet in Hollywood, despite the movie grossing over $1 billion.
"I'm kind of tired of staying quiet about it," he told The Daily Beast last year. "I want people to know that it's not always dandelions and roses when you're doing something like Aladdin: 'He must have made millions. He must be getting all these offers'. It's none of those things. I haven't had a single audition since Aladdin came out."