Disney has cast the lead roles for its upcoming live-action remake of Aladdin, Variety reports. Aladdin will be played by Mena Massoud while Naomi Scott will play Princess Jasmine. The announcement, which the studio made at its D23 Expo, follows a hectic casting process that dragged on long enough to delay the film and included open casting calls. (If this is the first you’re hearing about them, you missed your chance to be a movie star.) Guy Richie is directing from a script by John August; as was previously rumored, Will Smith will be playing the Genie.
Massoud is a Canadian actor who has a recurring role in Amazon’s upcoming Jack Ryan TV series. Scott is an English singer and actor who played the Pink Ranger in this year’s Power Rangers movie. Smith, born and raised in West Philadelphia, once appeared in an ABC Afterschool Special and has reportedly maintained an interest in acting over the years.
Smith isn’t on Twitter, but the two leads both tweeted their reactions to the announcement. Scott, who appeared in The 33, wrote, “This is gonna be fun”:
Massoud, who was in The 99, was roughly three times more formal, tweeting that that he was “honored & grateful for the opportunity.”
The original 1992 Aladdin starred Scott Weinger and Linda Larkin and featured a memorably frenetic performance from Robin Williams as the Genie. The new film is the latest in Disney’s never-ending series of live-action remakes of beloved animated movies, joining Beauty and the Beast and the upcoming Mulan.
