A few days ago it was reported that Will Smith is in talks to portray the Genie in Disney’s upcoming live-action Aladdin project from director Guy Ritchie.
Well, according to Variety, Smith was not the first actor approached for the role, as Kevin Hart was previously in talks to play the character made famous by Robin Williams in the 1992 animated movie. However, it seems that Hart is no longer under consideration, although there’s no word as to why the negotiations fell through.
Disney’s Aladdin is gearing up to go into production in the UK this July, so expect some official casting news soon, and let us know if you’d prefer Kevin Hart as the Genie over Will Smith…
Originally published April 24, 2017. Updated April 16, 2018.
