Will Smith, a.k.a. the Genie, takes on an ‘Aladdin’ classic in this latest sneak peek from the live-action remake of the beloved 1992 classic. His performance of ‘Prince Ali’ has sparked a mixed reaction from ‘Aladdin’ fans.
“Prince Ali” is one of the most iconic musical numbers from the original 1992 Disney classic Aladdin. Will Smith, 50, taking over the role of the Genie from the late Robin Williams, sings the song in this all-new video from the live-action remake. The Genie makes a grand entrance for his performance in front of Princess Jasmine and The Sultan. The Genie sings as he introduces Prince Ali, who is actually just Aladdin.
The performance is quite the spectacle. The costumes are so vibrant and the Genie definitely takes center stage. Once the video of the new version of “Prince Ali” was released, fans started sounding off on Twitter. “Ok finally decided to watch the Prince Ali clip. Honestly, I knew that it wasn’t going to be as over the top as the original was. I can see why they were going for a more grounded version and frankly it’s not as bad as most people are making it out to be,” one fan wrote. However, some fans weren’t so on board with the new rendition. “They released the live action Prince Ali from Aladdin. I had low expectations but I didn’t expect to get all teary eyed and spend it missing Robin Williams so much. This just reminds me of what an astounding talent Robin was. I think they should have made this a rap song instead,” another fan tweeted.
The song was originally performed by Robin in the 1992 Disney animated film. The song was nominated for Best Original Song at the 1993 Golden Globes.
Ok finally decided to watch the Prince Ali clip. Honestly I knew that it wasn't going to be as over the top as the original was. I can see why they were going for a more grounded version and frankly it's not as bad as most people are making it out to be. #Aladdin#PrinceAli
The Aladdin soundtrack will include songs from the original film like “Prince Ali,” as well as two new songs. The live-action remake stars an all-new cast. Mena Massoud plays Aladdin, Naomi Scott plays Princess Jasmine, Marwan Kenzari as Jafar, and Navid Negahban as The Sultan. The movie will hit theaters on May 24.