Disney’s wish to further explore the world of “Aladdin” has come true with “Genies,” a live-action prequel to 1992’s hit animated movie that the studio has put into development, TheWrap has learned.
Damian Shannon and Mark Swift are writing the script for the movie, which Tripp Vinson will produce under his Vinson Films banner.
“Genies” will explore the world that the magical wish-granters call home and chronicle how the blue-skinned genie in “Aladdin” (voiced by the late Robin Williams) came to be stuck in the lamp. The original film grossed more than $500 million worldwide.
“Aladdin” is an ancient folk tale that appears in “The Arabian Nights,” so Shannon and Swift were free to put a new spin on the classic story because it’s in the public domain.
Should “Genies” prove to be a success, it could pave the way for a live-action “Aladdin” movie. It remains unclear if that character, depicted as a street urchin in the animated movie, will appear in “Genies,” or if the main character will serve a different master.
Vinson recently set up “Prince Charming” at Disney, which has been mining its library of animated movies for potential live-action adaptations of late, including “Maleficent,” “Alice in Wonderland” and “Cinderella.” The studio also has “The Jungle Book” and “Beauty and the Beast” on the horizon.
Shannon and Swift started out writing horror movies but have since segued to comedy, including writing a recent draft of the “Baywatch” movie for Paramount.