Given that live-action revivals of Disney classics are usually successful at the box office, it comes to no one’s surprise that Aladdin is projected to make $80 million during its debut weekend. This estimated value can increase as promotions for the film swell with the film’s opening getting closer. Compared to most of the other Disney films of this type, Aladdin falls on the lower end of the spectrum, economically, for its opening, but it still ranks higher than Cinderella which opened with $67.8 million and the most recent release, Dumbo, which earned $45.9 million.
Other high performing Disney adaptations include 2017’s Beauty and the Beast starring Emma Watson and Dan Stevens, which generated $174.7 during its opening run and Jungle Book which made $103.2 during its premiere. Other live-action films that Disney has set for the next few years are Pinocchio, Cruella De Vil, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. The script for Cruella De Vil is already finished.
Mena Massoud will be playing Aladdin alongside Will Smith as the Genie and Naomi Scott as Princess Jasmine. Smith’s character will be different from the original version of the film since he appears without blue skin once he emerges from the Cave of Wonders. Disney had originally proposed a prequel titled Genies that would detail the Genie’s backstory but they decided to move forward with creating a project based on the 1992 cartoon alone.
Aladdin hits theaters on May 24. And this news was initially reported by The Hollywood Reporter.