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Aladdin: Why Will Smith's Blue Genie Looks So Bad In Live-Action
Screen Rant ^ | 02/11/19 | Kayleigh Donaldson

Posted on 02/12/2019 12:52:08 AM PST by Simon Green

The first reveal of Will Smith in full blue mode as the Genie in Disney’s live-action Aladdin remake has not gone down well with fans. While The Walt Disney Company’s current strategy of live-action remakes of their animated classics has yielded glorious profits, the end results haven’t been so beloved in more critical terms. So far, the movies have been met with responses ranging from surprisingly good (The Jungle Book) to OK (Cinderella) to highly mediocre (Beauty and the Beast). However, with audience demand so high and the benefits so strong for the company, they’ve been given no reason to slow down with this plan. 2019 alone will see 3 live-action remakes release in theaters: The Lion King, directed by Jon Favreau; Dumbo, directed by Tim Burton; and Guy Ritchie’s Aladdin.

Aladdin is the film of this trio that has been on the shakiest ground since its announcement. Eyebrows were raised at every turn, from the unusual choice of director to the casting to the questions over how Disney would handle a story set in the Arab world. The casting of Will Smith as the Genie was divisive but made sense in the grander scheme and offered some real star power to a movie whose ensemble is mostly made up of unknowns. The first reveal of Smith as the (non-blue) Genie proved underwhelming, with many wondering if we would ever see the character as he appears in the animated film. And then we saw blue Will Smith.

The latest Aladdin TV spot prominently features Smith in blue form, and the reactions were, to put it mildly, not great. Indeed, the image of large shirtless Will Smith with blue skin, a pointy black beard and long ponytail atop a bald head has already become Twitter’s favored meme of the week. For fans of the original concerned that Aladdin might not be able to pull off the translation to live-action, the new trailer did not inspire any hope. Smith is not the only problem the new footage features, but it remains the most prominent and the sheer strangeness of it highlights a problem the movie and Disney cannot ignore: The genie looks bad.


TOPICS: TV/Movies
KEYWORDS: blueface; disney; genie; willsmith
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1 posted on 02/12/2019 12:52:08 AM PST by Simon Green
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To: Simon Green

Is this something that’s important to you, or anyone?


2 posted on 02/12/2019 12:55:30 AM PST by ifinnegan (Democrats kill babies and harvest their organs to sell)
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To: Simon Green

3 posted on 02/12/2019 1:07:17 AM PST by GraceG ("If I post an AWESOME MEME, STEAL IT! JUST RE-POST IT IN TWO PLACES PLEASE")
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To: ifinnegan
Is this something that’s important to you, or anyone?

Important enough to me to spend a few minutes posting. Likely important enough for some people to take a minute or two to reply.

Do you have some sort of issue with that?

4 posted on 02/12/2019 1:11:10 AM PST by Simon Green ("Arm your daughter, sir, and pay no attention to petty bureaucrats.”)
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To: Simon Green
A rappin' smurf?


5 posted on 02/12/2019 1:23:21 AM PST by a fool in paradise (Denounce DUAC - The Democrats Un-American Activists Committee)
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To: GraceG

Is it offensive for non-blue people to go in blueface?


6 posted on 02/12/2019 1:24:02 AM PST by a fool in paradise (Denounce DUAC - The Democrats Un-American Activists Committee)
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To: Simon Green

I hate mind pollution.

I’m curious as to why it’s important to you?

Important enough to post, as if you are a pr man, on a conservative political forum.


7 posted on 02/12/2019 1:25:38 AM PST by ifinnegan (Democrats kill babies and harvest their organs to sell)
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To: GraceG
Bowie wore it better.


8 posted on 02/12/2019 1:27:14 AM PST by a fool in paradise (Denounce DUAC - The Democrats Un-American Activists Committee)
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To: Simon Green

>> While The Walt Disney Company’s current strategy of live-action remakes of their animated classics

Odd that they call these “live-action” when there is so much computer animation.

Hell’s bells, Black Panther probably should’ve been in the “best animated feature” category at the Oscars rather than “Best film”.


9 posted on 02/12/2019 1:29:04 AM PST by a fool in paradise (Denounce DUAC - The Democrats Un-American Activists Committee)
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To: ifinnegan
I’m curious as to why it’s important to you?

Because I'm a fan of Disney animation and think this doesn't bode well for the remake...and I thought others might feel the same and be interested.

Important enough to post, as if you are a pr man,

Um, the article is not at all complimentary to the new film. Did you even read it? If I'm a pr man, I'm terrible at my job!

on a conservative political forum

How is the politics of this forum relevant in this case?

10 posted on 02/12/2019 1:37:38 AM PST by Simon Green ("Arm your daughter, sir, and pay no attention to petty bureaucrats.”)
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To: Simon Green

Looks kinda gay. Then again, so is most of Hollyweird and their product.


11 posted on 02/12/2019 1:50:26 AM PST by fieldmarshaldj ("It's Slappin' Time !")
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To: Simon Green

The makeup job looks okay to me, but I’d hate to have to follow Robin William’s version of the genie.


12 posted on 02/12/2019 1:54:08 AM PST by skr (May God confound the enemy)
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To: skr

Oops, Williams’, not William’s.

They did miss on matching the color. The cartoon genie is a bit more purple.


13 posted on 02/12/2019 1:57:23 AM PST by skr (May God confound the enemy)
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To: Simon Green

“Because I’m a fan of Disney animation”

Me too, but there’s no Disney anymore.

Everything since Katzenberg has been meh or worse.


14 posted on 02/12/2019 2:14:07 AM PST by ifinnegan (Democrats kill babies and harvest their organs to sell)
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To: ifinnegan
Disagree. The Emperor's New Groove, Lilo & Stitch, The Princess and the Frog, Tangled, Frozen ,Big Hero 6, Wreck It Ralph, and Moana are all good to excellent.
15 posted on 02/12/2019 2:22:58 AM PST by Simon Green ("Arm your daughter, sir, and pay no attention to petty bureaucrats.”)
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To: ifinnegan

Important enough for you to open and comment apparently. Did you know you can keep scrolling past something you don’t like?


16 posted on 02/12/2019 2:30:45 AM PST by bethelgrad
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To: Simon Green

These would be the mehs, to my mind.

Pixar they aren’t.

And not Ghibli for sure.


17 posted on 02/12/2019 2:49:57 AM PST by ifinnegan (Democrats kill babies and harvest their organs to sell)
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To: Simon Green
Re: The highly mediocre “Beauty and the Beast.”

The world wide Disney audience loved it.

It is actually the 14th highest grossing film in history at $1.26 billion.

The relentlessly hyped “Black Panther” is only $84 million higher than “Beauty and the Beast.”

18 posted on 02/12/2019 2:50:34 AM PST by zeestephen
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To: bethelgrad

“Did you know you can keep scrolling past something you don’t like?”

I think that’s against the law of the internet.


19 posted on 02/12/2019 2:50:58 AM PST by ifinnegan (Democrats kill babies and harvest their organs to sell)
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To: Simon Green
Did somebody say LIVE ACTION???


20 posted on 02/12/2019 3:06:40 AM PST by Hatteras
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