As we previously reported, a huge casting call went out for the title role of Disney's live-action remake of Disney.
However, according to a report by THR, the casting process has been pretty difficult. In fact, one agent who spoke to THR called it "a mess," and word is that Guy Ritchie and the creative team are nowhere near close to finding someone. In all, something close to 2,000 actors tested for the role of Aladdin and Jasmine, but nobody has come close to being cast.
Well-known names like Riz Ahmed and Dev Patel were considered, however the crux of the casting falls in being able to sing convincingly as well as act - and nobody's jumped out in the casting calls just yet. Not only that, there's also the question of chemistry between whoever plays Aladdin and Jasmine. Disney have ordered that the actors and actress playing Aladdin and Jafar be of Middle-Eastern or Indian descent, according to THR's sources.
It's not all bad news, however. Will Smith has now apparently signed on to play Genie, and a filming start date has been locked in for next month. Meanwhile, Jasmine is set to be played by either Naomi Scott - who recently turned up in the remake of Power Rangers - or Indian TV actress Tara Sutaria.
With casting still underway and just a month to go before filming starts, there'll no doubt be an official announcement confirming the roles in the coming weeks. The question is, who'll be showing us a whole new world?
Via THR
