The first official teaser for Disney’s live-action adaptation of the 1992 film Aladdin was unveiled on Thursday, and like its animated predecessor, the upcoming movie looks like it will be a classic. The 88-second clip came after Will Smith, who is set to play Genie (originally voiced by Robin Williams), debuted the first teaser poster for the Guy Ritchie-directed film— an image of the magic lamp against a hazy purple backdrop with the tagline “Choose wisely”— with his 23.2 million Instagram followers on Wednesday.
The teaser clip stars with a bird’s-eye view of Agrabah, the fictional city where the story unfolds, as a haunting, slowed-down version of “Arabian Nights” sets the soundtrack. A parrot, presumably Jafar’s loyal companion Iago, soars overhead. The scene then transitions through the lion’s mouth and to the Cave of Wonders, where Aladdin is seen reaching towards the magic lamp while a deep, ominous voice intones, “Only one may enter here. One whose worth lies far within. The diamond in the rough.” The teaser stops there, meaning fans will have to wait for the full trailer to catch a glimpse of Princess Jasmine, Jafar, and Genie.
The cast for the upcoming live action remake, which is set to hit theaters on May 24, 2019, is as fresh as they come, with Egyptian-Canadian newcomer Mena Massoud as Aladdin; Power Rangers actor Naomi Scott playing Princess Jasmine; Tunisian-Dutch actor Marwan Kenzari taking on the role of the evil vizier Jafar; and former SNL star Nasim Pedrad playing Mara, a comedic new role described as Princess Jasmine’s handmaiden and friend, which was created specifically for the reboot.
The new Aladdin is one of several upcoming live-action adaptations of Disney’s line-up of animated hits. Some of the other hotly anticipated upcoming films include The Lion King remake starring Donald Glover as Simba and Beyoncé as Nala, as well as animated comedy Lilo & Stitch.
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