A few days ago it was reported that Rajah, the pet tiger of Jasmine, had been cut from Disney and Guy Ritchie’s upcoming live-action remake of Aladdin, leading to some outcry among fans of the animated classic.
Well, fear not, as Entertainment Weekly has debunked the rumours, confirming with a source close to the production that Rajah will indeed be part of the 2019 film.
The speculation appeared to start after Jasmine actress Naomi Scott spoke to THR about the inclusion of a new character, a handmaiden called Dalia, who will serve as a confidante for the Disney Princess:
“I never realized it, but in the animation, Jasmine is really the only female character — isn’t that crazy?” said Scott. “The Dalia character is so important to this movie because she’s the only other female character. She may be the handmaiden but they’re best friends; they’re so close because they’ve grown up together. So we wanted people to watch the movie and see Jasmine’s relationship with another woman, and be like, ‘Ah, that’s what I’m like with my girlfriend,’ or ‘We would so do that if I was in that position.’ That’s something that’s missing from the animation.”
Aladdin is set for release on May 24th 2019 and features a cast that includes Mena Massoud (Aladdin), Naomi Scott (Princess Jasmine), Will Smith (Genie), Marwan Kenzari (Jafar), Navid Negahban (The Sultan), Nasim Pedrad (Dalia); Billy Magnussen (Prince Anders) and Numan Acar (Hakim).
Originally published November 12, 2017. Updated December 1, 2022.
