Aladdin’s genie is getting a brand-new imagining in a gender-swapped cosplay.Aladdinwas originally a 2D-animated Disney film released in 1992. It featured the late comedian andactor Robin Williamsin the role of the iconic blue genie who sings “Friend Like Me” and grants the titular character three wishes.Aladdinwas followed up by a 1994 TV series, as well as the sequel filmsThe Return of JafarandAladdin and the King of Thieves. In 2019, Disney made a live-action version ofAladdin.
Over three decades afterAladdin’s initial release,a new gender-swapped genie cosplayhas been released from @missjazminad. Though she has a fuller head of hair than the Williams animated version, she sports a similar high ponytail as the original. She wears a bedazzled gold top to match the jewelry on her wrists and neck. Her waistband is red, mirroring the original. The first image shows her in a cloud of puffy white with a lamp at the bottom of the photo, implying her emergence from the lamp.
What This Means For Aladdin
So far, both major depictions of the genie inAladdinhave been played by men. In the animated version, this voice-acting role went to Williams, and in the 2019 live-action remake, the character was played by Will Smith. This cosplay provides analternative version of the geniethat has most often been portrayed in the classic story. It is interesting to see how the cosplay artist borrows from elements of the animated film’s look while still making it her own.
10 Harsh Realities Of Watching Disney’s Aladdin Today, 32 Years Later
With all of Aladdin’s problematic aspects and controversies, it’s harder to watch the Disney movie three decades after it released in theaters.
As for the actualAladdinseries, there are no current plans to gender-swap the genie character. The 2019 live-action version of the film was a box office success, making over $1 billion throughout its run. Because of this success,Disney confirmedAladdin 2in 2020. However, it was not confirmed whether Smith would return to his role as the genie. Technically, this does leave the option open for another actor, who could be a woman, to take on the genie role.
Our Take On A Gender-Swapped Aladdin
Gender-Swapping Classic Characters Is Commonplace Now
Given Smith’s relatively recent controversies surrounding the Oscars slap incident, the prospect of the actor returning forAladdin 2seems slimmer. As a result, the option to change the portrayal of the genie is even more open than it otherwise would be. Making gender-swapped films and characters, as seen in 2016’sGhostbusters, for instance, is increasingly popular in Hollywood nowadays. This could point to a woman genie coming to theAladdinuniverse down the line, though as in the case of many Disney live-action castings, this would be almost sure to create controversy.
Source: @missjazminad/Instagram
Aladdin
Cast
Aladdin, directed by Ron Clements and John Musker, is an animated film featuring a street urchin who discovers a magical lamp. The story follows Aladdin’s adventures, including his encounters with Princess Jasmine and the villainous Jafar, who seeks to wield the lamp’s extraordinary powers to seize control.
