Disney's all-new live-action adventure Aladdin tells a story that may sound familiar: boy meets girl, boy falls in love, boy stumbles across a legendary figure who specializes in wish fulfillment. True, Will Smith's magnetic presence as the powerful Genie makes the movie magical, and he displays great empathy toward the street urchin Aladdin (Mena Massoud). In turn, Genie helps Aladdin develop a personal connection with the courageous Princess Jasmine (Naomi Scott).
Aladdin creates a whole new world for its characters to inhabit, as showcased in a new featurette. Will Smith notes what shooting on location in Jordan meant to him: "You can just feel the history in the sand. I think it adds a level of reality." Cowriter and director Guy Ritchie explains: "We wanted to get the balance just right. … We had a team of culture advisors in order to give it an authentic voice." The movie is largely set in a fictitious port city known as Agrabah. "We wanted to make it as authentic as possible," says producer Dan Lin. "I had an absolute ball making Agrabah," production designer Gemma Jackson says. We also hear from actors Mena Massoud, Naomi Scott and Nasim Pedrad about their reactions to the world that Aladdin creates.
"I'm excited to sit in the audience and see it," concludes Will Smith. Watch the video below, then get tickets today! Aladdin opens in theaters everywhere on Friday, May 24.
