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Aladdin gets live-action prequel

LOS ANGELES — Disney is developing Genies, a live-action comedy prequel to its 1992 animated hit Aladdin.

LOS ANGELES — Disney is developing Genies, a live-action comedy prequel to its 1992 animated hit Aladdin.

Tripp Vinson is on board to produce Genies under his Vinson Films banner. Damian Shannon and Mark Swift are writing the script for the prequel, which will centre on a genie trapped in Aladdin’s lamp.

The original Aladdin story is contained in The Book Of One Thousand And One Nights (The Arabian Nights), in which a sorcerer persuades the young Aladdin to retrieve a powerful oil lamp from a magic cave.

Vinson’s credits include exec-producing San Andreas and producing Journey 2: the Mysterious Island. He is also developing Bob The Musical for Disney with Michel Hazanavicius directing, as well as a Prince Charming movie for Disney. (Fun fact: Vinson’s bachelor party was the true-life inspiration for 2009’s The Hangover.)

Shannon and Swift’s credits include 2009’s Friday The 13th and the upcoming comedy O’Lucky Day, starring Peter Dinklage.

Disney has been mining its library of animated movies for live-action inspiration, evidenced by recent reboots of Cinderella, Maleficent, Alice In Wonderland, the upcoming Jungle Book, and Beauty And The Beast with Emma Watson. It is also developing live-action versions of Pinocchio, Winnie The Pooh, Mulan, and Dumbo.

Disney’s Aladdin, with Robin Williams voicing the blue genie, grossed more than US$500 million (S$684 million) at the worldwide box office. REUTERS

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