Why Shazam! Works So Well As A Crowdpleaser, According To The Cast

Why Shazam! Works So Well As A Crowdpleaser, According To The Cast
Shazam Freddy and Shazam chug a soda in front of the convenience store

The DC Comics brand of films has been on the mend, with its most recent efforts in the world of comic adaptations gaining a lot of attention and affection from fans. That trend looks like it’s continuing with the theatrical release of Shazam! set to take the public by storm this weekend, with early reactions trending in the film’s favor. Even the cast of the film knows how latest DC adaptation that makes it a bona fide crowd pleaser, and they weren’t afraid to share their thoughts. While the answers may differ slightly, all roads lead to two key elements; fun and heart.


During the recent press day for the film, CinemaBlend got to sit down with the cast of Shazam! to discuss how this superpowered adventure gives the people what they want. And starting off with Dr. Silvana himself, the always solid Mark Strong, the film’s appeal is very easy to see. In particular, Strong pointed out the following elements that really brought the film together:



It’s just so irreverent, and so much fun. The notion now that we’ve seen a lot of superhero movies in which the superheroes are really capable, and now suddenly we see one who has no idea how to use his powers, is really funny. So I think people will enjoy the humor of that. I hope they also then enjoy, conversely, quite how dark and weird and creepy the bad guy story is as well. And then, of course, there’s the family theme at the heart of it all; which is quite moving, I think.





Mark Strong is certainly not new to the DC Comics rodeo, as his performance in Green Lantern with Ryan Reynolds introduced him as Sinestro, the would-be baddie of that corner of the DC universe. So seeing his thoughts on how Shazam! works as a film come from not only a place of experience, but also of genuinely constructive criticism.


Also, Mark Strong nails it on the head when he mentions the fact that director David F. Sandberg’s film is a great mixture of the fun and the family, with a nice sprinkling of the scary on top. Which also works, considering a big part of the demographic for Shazam! just happens to be kids and teenagers who will be flocking to their local theaters this weekend to partake in the joys this film has to offer.


It helps that there were some kids on hand during the Shazam! press day that could confirm those thoughts are, in fact accurate. With Asher Angel and Jack Dylan Grazer on hand for the festivities, we also got to speak to them about what audiences should expect when seeing Warner Bros’ new comic book movie. And judging by their reaction, and the quotes below, fun is a huge part of the crowd-pleasing energy Shazam! has going for it:





Grazer: ‘They should expect some noise, some laughter, some constant applause because this movie is so damned good. It’s really really fun. When we went to the movie theater to watch it with the fans, they were all over the place. They were ecstatic, they were laughing…’


Angel: ‘They were jumping up and down in their seats.’


Grazer: ‘...on their toes. Yeah, it was great.’



As they were answering the question as to what makes Shazam! such a crowdpleaser, there was this current of energy that filled the room. Both being young, up-and-coming actors, Asher Angel and Jack Dylan Grazer are clearly excited to see this movie about to take off. It sounds like they had a lot of fun watching it with a crowd during one of the several public screenings that have been conducted to really hype up the movie.


But, of course, how can you talk about Shazam! without roping in the man in the suit himself: certified crowdpleaser Zachary Levi. When it came his turn to answer the question of just what makes his big superhero debut in the DC universe something you can watch in a theater, surrounded by fans of the source material, he knew exactly what makes this film work in front of a crowd. The first part of Levi’s answer went as follows:





The everything. It’s got everything, guys. It’s wish fulfillment on the purest level. It’s the little kid in all of us who’s always dreamt about being a superhero, and now can say a magic word and become a superhero. That’s like the most cool, iconic archetype of the hero story I can think of. Plus, it’s layered with so much heart, and so much fun and [it’s] funny. I mean, there’s so much comedy, and some creepy stuff as well, you know.



The fun that shines through in Shazam! is undeniable, and you can literally see it on Zachary Levi’s face, throughout our interview and other venues during the film’s press tour. But the best part is, the fun that went into making the film as thrilling as it turned out to be in the finished product certainly doesn’t betray the message it’s trying to put across.


That fact isn’t lost on Zachary Levi either, as when he continued to answer the question of what makes Shazam! a singular experience as a film, he hit on a couple of points closer to the emotional heart of the film, which find themselves integrated rather well alongside the more spectacular elements. Levi continued by mentioning the following:





I think a lot of people will see themselves represented on screen, particularly people that might not feel as represented on screen, and I think that’s really beautiful. The family dynamic speaks to a lot. We get to tell a story about foster kids. There are 450,000, or so, kids in the United States right now in the foster system, and I love that they have themselves to look up to. To be empowered by, to shine that light, even in a small way, is a very powerful thing.



The DC Comics film franchise has come a long way from the days of people debating its depiction of Superman, as well as the question of whether or not the series on the whole really understood the comics to begin with. Shazam! definitely proves itself to be a course correction in line with the whimsy of Aquaman and the empowerment of Wonder Woman, and it’s going to be particularly interesting seeing the public reaction to the film as it opens wide. In the meantime, check out the reactions of the cast of Shazam!, in regards to their own film, in the clip from our interview shown below.


Shazam! says the magic word on April 5th; but if you’re curious about what’s coming down the pike after you’ve enjoyed this magic powered romp, you can take a look at the 2019 release schedule and choose your next adventure accordingly!




Is The New Mutants Being Delayed Again?

Is The New Mutants Being Delayed Again?
New Mutants Anya Taylor-Joy and Charlie Heaton see something worrying them

The New Mutants has had a rough go on the way to being released, with so many factors and obstacles getting in the way of telling this horror tinged tale adjacent to the X-Men universe. And just as we’d gotten used to the idea that there was a countdown to an actual release of director Josh Boone’s superhero horror-show, new rumors speculate that the film is, yet again, suspected to be bumped to a later release date.


A supposed source at Fox says that The New Mutants isn’t going to make its currently specified August 2 release date. This comes after the film was already moved from its original home of April 13, 2018 to the seemingly more comfortable February 22, 2019. Now it looks as if there’s going to be another hunt for prime calendar real estate, as two factors have apparently delayed director Josh Boone’s motion picture for the time being.


Those two factors are the old fashioned pairing of Disney and Fox’s merger putting a hold on any big releasing decisions until their union was complete, as well as the non-existent reshoots that were supposed to have reshaped The New Mutants into release-worthy form.




While we’ve seen Disney start to make decisions about Fox projects recently, choices that have left films like Mouse Guard out in the cold, that new footage is still lingering unfilmed. Whether it’s due to scheduling or creative differences, no one knows at this point, but it’s a crucial enough stumbling block that The New Mutants might not be seen for some time now.


Fox’s unknown source spoke with genre news site iHorror and said that while there isn’t a new release date in the works, it’ll be “far away from August.” So if you were hoping that 2019 would still see two mutant powered hits coming our way, those odds just reduced dramatically. How far away from The New Mutants’ initial release date is far enough isn’t known, but the invocation of that very phrase is enough to assume that this calendar year is probably off the table. That is, unless Disney and Fox plan to do some sort of stealth drop onto a streaming platform as previously rumored, which honestly wouldn’t be such a bad idea at this point.


Fate has not been kind to The New Mutants, and should this rumor pan out, it will be another sling and arrow of misfortune sent the way of that particular film. Though, should Dark Phoenix effectively rekindle the fire between the moviegoing public and the X-Men franchise, there could be a push to get the film out, in one form or another, by the end of 2019.




The New Mutants, unless someone comes forth in the next couple of days and corrects the assumption, is slated for release on August 2. Should that change and a new date be announced for some point within the year, we’ll not only report back, but we’ll update the 2019 release schedule to reflect the project’s new status.


DC's Zachary Levi Shows Off His Shazam! Muscles In 'Thirst Trappy' Video

DC's Zachary Levi Shows Off His Shazam! Muscles In 'Thirst Trappy' Video

Someone better tell Henry Cavill he has some Instagram muscle shot competition out there from a fellow DC Comics superhero. Shazam! is still picking up money at the box office, even in a post-Endgame world, and Zachary Levi is doing his part to keep the attention on DC (or at least himself) as Marvel takes over the globe.


Zachary Levi recently posted a pretty shameless plug for his Flow Supplements brand -- and I say shameless because he knew he was getting his Shazam! fans in a tizzy with his shirtless workout video. He added a note at the end of his caption acknowledging "Also, fine, maybe the video is a little 'thirst-trappy', so sue me." Judge for yourself:


Chuck alum Zachary Levi had plenty of fans before Shazam! but he is an outright superstar now, and the fan comments on his post are hilarious. One fan wrote "NSFW, dude! A little warning would be nice next time."




Normally I say leave the intense workout videos to The Rock and Chris Hemsworth, but Zachary Levi was basically posting an ad for his supplements, and that directly relates to working out. So he has an excuse.


As you might imagine, Zachary Levi had to spend a lot of time at the gym to train for Shazam! with that costume showing off the usual amounts of superhero bod. At least he got to eat a lot, though, to build muscle mass -- saying he was at the gym 5-6 days a week and ate 3,500-3,700 calories a day. But they had to be "clean calories," not leftover Easter candy or ice cream.


Zachary Levi likes to keep in touch with Shazam! fans by posting messages and answering questions. Several months ago, he answered a fan's question on eating broccoli for breakfast while making Shazam! He said he basically ate the same macros all day long -- a combination of meat and veggies five times a day. Apparently he used to eat a lot of eggs but gave them up due to an intolerance of some kind.




He may have to return to that diet and exercise routine fairly soon. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson will be joining the Shazam! world as Black Adam and he said he thought they'd start filming the Black Adam movie in about a year. Due to the ages of the younger Shazam! stars, the producers said they might move into sequel production sooner rather than later so the "kids" don't start looking older than Zachary Levi.


It is Superhero Season at the box office, with the MCU's Captain Marvel and DC's Shazam! followed now by Marvel's Avengers: Endgame. Those costumes show every flaw, so stars work hard to make it look like their human physiques are as superheroic as the characters they play (even though many of the stars are now above 50). After working so hard, I can't really blame them too much for wanting to show off the results on Instagram. If I had a personal trainer getting me in shape, or if I bothered getting myself in shape, I might show it off too.


Keep up with everything heading to theaters this year with our 2019 movie schedule guide.




What You Need To Know About Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic

What You Need To Know About Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic
Darth Malak on the cover of Star Wars: The Knights of the Old Republic

Although things are slowing down on the theatrical front for a bit, there is still a ton of Star Wars headed our way in the future. There are multiple films from both David Benioff and D.B. Weiss and Rian Johnson on the way after this year’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker wraps up the Skywalker Saga.


That may not be all though, because if a new report is accurate, a movie based on the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic video game is also in the works. According to the report, Laeta Kalogridis, co-writer of Alita: Battle Angel and creator of Netflix’s Altered Carbon, is close to finishing the first script of a potential Knights of the Old Republic trilogy.


A Knights of the Old Republic trilogy is huge news because the Old Republic is something die-hard Star Wars fans have been calling for since Disney took over Lucasfilm and started making new movies set in a galaxy far, far away. But not everyone played the Knights of the Old Republic video game or is familiar with Star Wars stories outside the films, and thus have no idea why this is exciting news.




So here is a rundown of what you need to know about Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.


The Games (And Comics)


Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic was released on the original Xbox and PC in 2003. The role-playing game from BioWare and LucasArts is a 40-hour epic written by Drew Karpyshyn, who also wrote Mass Effect as well as five Star Wars novels, including the Darth Bane trilogy. KOTOR received universal acclaim and is considered to be the best Star Wars game ever made. It’s also seen as one of the best role-playing games ever and one of the best video games of all time. Basically, there is a ton of love out there for Knights of the Old Republic.


Obsidian Entertainment teamed up with LucasArts to handle the sequel, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II – The Sith Lords, which was released in 2004. A third game, the massively multiplayer online RPG Star Wars: The Old Republic was released in 2011 that was set 300 years after the original games, but was impacted by those events and was still during the Old Republic time period.




There was also the Dark Horse comic series that ran for 50 issues from 2006-2010 and was set eight years prior to the first Knights of the Old Republic game. Additionally, there is the Star Wars: The Old Republic novel series, two titles of which were written by KOTOR’s Drew Karpyshyn. This is all to say that there are plenty of sources and ancillary materials for Laeta Kalogridis and Lucasfilm to draw upon for a Knights of the Old Republic movie.


The Story


The story of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is its biggest claim to fame and why so many want to see it on the big screen. Set 4,000 years before the Galactic Empire and the events of the Skywalker Saga, KOTOR tells a story of Jedi and Sith when both are powerful forces in the galaxy with many in their ranks (this is before the Sith’s Rule of Two).


The opening crawl warns that the Republic is on the verge of collapse and under attack from Darth Malak, a Sith Lord and last surviving apprentice of the notoriously evil Darth Revan. Malak has released an armada against the Republic and countless Jedi are falling in battle, with some even falling to the Dark Side.




We learn that prior to the events of the game, Darth Malak and Darth Revan were both Jedi Knights who abandoned the Order to fight for the Republic in the Mandalorian Wars. The two became heroes, but following the end of those wars, they went into the Unknown Regions where they fell under the influence of the leader of the Sith Empire. The two returned as Sith and battled the Jedi and the Republic, but eventually Darth Malak turned on his master, firing upon his ship and usurping Revan’s position.


The game begins with the player assuming the role of a soldier of the Galactic Republic who wakes up aboard the Endar Spire, a ship in the Outer Rim, as it comes under attack. The player eventually crosses paths with Bastila Shan, the Jedi Knight sent to capture Malak and Revan when they returned from the Unknown Regions.


Alongside Bastila Shan, the player seeks to put together a star map that can lead them to Darth Malak and the Star Forge, a superweapon speculated to be the source of much of his power. It’s a 40-hour game, so a lot happens, but the player travels to multiple planets like Tatooine, Dantooine, Kashyyyk, Manaan and Korriban, coming into contact with a wide cast of characters in the fight to stop Darth Malak and save the galaxy.




The Twist


Part of what makes the story of Knights of the Old Republic so special is a twist that ranks up there in Star Wars storytelling with the “No, I am your father” moment from The Empire Strikes Back. Spoilers for a 16-year-old game ahead! During the course of the game, the player learns that his or her true identity is none other than Darth Revan, the Dark Lord presumed dead when Darth Malak fired upon his master’s ship.


Bastila Shan and her strike team were on Revan’s ship to capture him when Malak fired upon the ship, trying to kill his friend and master. Darth Malak almost succeeded as Revan was gravely wounded. But Bastila Shan saved him and took him to the Jedi Council on Dantooine. There, Revan’s memories were wiped and he was brainwashed into believing that he was a Republic soldier. The hope being that eventually, through the Force bond Bastila and Revan shared after she saved his life, they could use him to discover the location of the Star Forge and help destroy the Sith.


It’s a huge reveal that sets up a forking path for Revan. Should the player choose Dark Side choices, he or she will usurp Malak at game's end and reclaim the title of Dark Lord of the Sith, seeking new dominion over the galaxy. If the player remains in the light, he or she will destroy the Star Forge, defeat Darth Malak and be hailed as a hero and welcomed back into the Jedi Order as the Prodigal Knight.




The Characters


A major aspect of Knights of the Old Republic’s compelling story is that it is following a rich, diverse cast of fun characters that the player cares about. Revan, a human male, is a fascinatingly complex character in the Star Wars mythos because he has lived on both sides of the Dark/Light spectrum and everywhere in between. There is a reason he remains a fan favorite despite no longer being part of official canon.


Darth Malak is merciless and powerful, everything you could want in a Sith Lord. Bastila Shan is one of Star Wars’ great female characters, a confident and skilled Jedi Knight with the incredible Force power of Battle Meditation. The power allows her to boost the morale, stamina and courage of her allies, helping them to act as one, quickly and efficiently, while simultaneously demoralizing and striking fear in the hearts of the enemy.


Other characters include the skilled Republic pilot Carth Onasi, the Mandalorian mercenary Canderous Ordo, the cheery Twi’lek teen Mission Vao, the Wookie Zaalbar, the Gray Jedi Jolee Bindo and the fan favorite, and K-2SO predecessor for droid snark, the assassin droid HK-47. They are all great characters that put faces to the galaxy’s conflicts and make the universe feel bigger.




Possibilities For The Film


What all of this means for the movie it is too early to say. I think the biggest question is whether or not this is a real adaptation of the Knights of the Republic video game. The initial report said that Laeta Kalogridis was writing a script based on that game, but the cynic in me thinks that leaves a lot of wiggle room for a Knights of the Old Republic movie to have a different story.


As evidenced by the jettisoning of the Expanded Universe, Lucasfilm under Disney has shown a reticence to adapt existing material, instead choosing to tell entirely new stories where all audiences are on an even footing knowledge-wise and no one knows the story in advance. So I could totally see a Knights of the Old Republic movie simply being a story set during the Old Republic time period that takes inspiration from KOTOR, but not one that has the same story of Revan and Darth Malak.


That would be a shame though, because as Game of Thrones showed, you can adapt material where some of the audience already knows the story beats and still have success. If anything, the experience of watching that show was enhanced because some audience members knew what was coming in advance, making Ned’s death and the Red Wedding all the more fun. The same could be true for the truth about Revan.




Lucasfilm has cherry-picked non-canon elements from the EU before (like Grand Admiral Thrawn appearing in Star Wars Rebels), so maybe that’s possible here. Hopefully it does more than cherry-pick though, because Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is one of the most beloved Star Wars tales for a reason and it has all the necessary ingredients to make for a awesome big screen trilogy.


We’ll keep you updated on all the various Star Wars trilogies in the works as we hear about them. You can next revisit a galaxy far, far away when Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker opens in theaters on December 20. Check out our 2019 Release Schedule to keep track of all this year’s biggest movies.


That Time Scarlett Johansson Had To Pick Up Guys While Filming A Movie

That Time Scarlett Johansson Had To Pick Up Guys While Filming A Movie
Scarlett Johannson in Under the Skin

2013’s Under the Skin was certainly one of the most bizarre roles to date for Scarlett Johansson. The actress played an alien masquerading as an alluring woman who scours the streets of Glasgow for men, entices them to have sex with her and then murders them in cold blood. As it turns out, during the making of Under the Skin Johansson had quite the unconventional experience with several of the men playing opposite of her. Here’s what she said:



A remarkable aspect of Under the Skin is that a lot of the people who appear in it aren’t actors. They’re normal people – who happen to be walking down a road minding their own business when a pretty lady pulls up in a van alongside them and offers them a lift to Tesco and then a film crew clutching disclaimers leaps out of the back.



Wait… what? Many of the men featured in Under the Skin were actually picked up by Scarlett Johansson herself, whilst she was in character in short black hair. In an interview with The Guardian, she was asked at what point did director Jonathan Glazer tell her they didn’t have other actors and the plan was to drift through the streets and find some during the making of the 2013 sci-fi drama? Her answer:





That happened later on. And none of us knew how it was going to work. We toyed with lots of different things like prosthetics, teeth, all kinds of things that would change my face but only slightly, when in fact there was no need to do any of that.



Under the Skin was an indie film with just a $13 million budget, which explains the lack of actors in the film. It was unclear if this method would actually work though. Would they recognize the actress? It seemed to work out in the film’s favor and lean into the realism of the experience.


Daily Mail spoke with one of the men who was approached by the famous actress. 29-year-old Kevin McAlinden stopped him while in her car, rolled down the window and asked “Are you single? What are you doing tonight?” He didn’t recognize her as Scarlett Johansson, but noticed the actress’ undeniable beauty had recently split with his partner. He thought he won the jackpot. In his words:





I thought, 'Yes! This is unbelievable!' I’d been having quite a tough time in my personal life, so this was like a lucky break. I should have known it was too good to be true.



When he got into the car, he of course was told he was being recruited for a movie role. Can you imagine? That’s Black Widow, man? Duh! She’s only the most successful actresses in the world. Either way this is a crazy story about the behind-the-scenes of Under the Skin and certainly calls for a second-viewing after learning this about it.


You can see Scarlett Johansson next in Avengers: Endgame starting April 26.




The Hellboy Reboot Will Surprise A Lot Of People, Ian McShane Says

The Hellboy Reboot Will Surprise A Lot Of People, Ian McShane Says
Hellboy with his gun

It's no secret that superhero movies are everywhere. Comic book adaptations have been proven the most profitable and popular genre in the business, with plenty of studios making their own attempts at box office supremacy. Guillermo del Toro adapted the Hellboy comics back in the early 2000's, and now a reboot is heading to theaters starring Stranger Things' David Harbour as the title character.


Joining David Harbour in the new Hellboy cast is Ian McShane, who has been seen in the John Wick and Pirates of the Caribbean franchises, as well as Game of Thrones. McShane is taking on the role of Hellboy's father figure Trevor Bruttenholm, which was played in the original Hellboy movies by John Hurt. According to the 76 year-old actor, the new movie is going to pack plenty of surprises. He recently said:



Hellboy, yeah! I think that’s going to surprise a lot of people. David [Harbour of Stranger Things] is a marvelous actor. He just fills out the role. It was nice and bittersweet taking over [Professor Bruttenholm] from a dear old friend of mine, John Hurt. But it’s not Part 3. It’s a complete reboot of [Guillermo del Toro’s] Hellboy, and I think they picked the right guy in David. It was a pleasure to work with him and be in Bulgaria for three weeks, a country I’ve never been to before. Greatest fresh vegetables I’ve ever tasted. And the scripts are funny and smart and bright, and the action is fantastic, and I have grandkids who love all that. They can’t wait.






It looks like Hellboy is going to be a blockbuster that somewhat defies genre, at least according to Ian McShane's description of the project. The script will feature comedy and brightness, while the R-rated reboot will also be far more violent and bloody than Guillermo del Toro's set of films. So basically, there's no telling what's coming down the pipeline.


Ian McShane's comments to the New York Times are sure to excite fans of Hellboy, as well as moviegoers who are curious about the new adaptation. Comic fans are always looking to how accurately the work on the page will be adapted for the silver screen. Guillermo del Toro brought the colorful world to life through his movies, but the PG-13 rating prevented them from being as brutal as the title character is wont to be. So that'll likely be one big way the upcoming movie will surprise audiences.


But Ian McShane also referenced how comedic and light Hellboy will be at the same time. The trailers showed how much attitude David Harbour will have as the big red guy, and it'll be fascinating to see how "funny and smart and bright" the bloody superhero adaptation ends up being.





All will be revealed when Hellboy arrives in theaters on April 12, 2019. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.


Watch Aladdin’s Will Smith Belt Out ‘Prince Ali’ In New Clip

Watch Aladdin’s Will Smith Belt Out ‘Prince Ali’ In New Clip
Will Smith as Genie in live-action Aladdin during Prince Ali song

Ahead of Disney’s next live-action remake stomping into theaters next weekend, a clip featuring Will Smith’s Genie as gives a disguised Aladdin a grand entrance in the memorable big number from the 1992 animated musical has been released. Make way for Prince Ali and take a look:


Ring bells! Bang the drums! Are you gonna love this guy? The new clip gives fans a look into the new “Prince Ali” sequence, though it doesn’t feature the entire song, it starts midway through the epic number and leaves the grand finale to the imagination.


The new clip from IGN does offer up a bit of Will Smith’s own take on Genie, previously and belovedly played by Robin Williams. Smith’s spin unsurprisingly denotes a more hip-hop flavor to the Disney classic, though the actor is actually singing rather than rapping for much of the sequence.




The main difference is instead of comedic quips on the side such as “don’t they look lovely June” or magically turning into other forms such as tiger or child as the animated movie does. Instead, it focuses more on the song, dance and CGI animals. The massive scene featuring 1000 dancers and extras has the eyes of the city of Agrabah taking notice, namely Naomi Scott’s Jasmine and Nasim Pedrad’s new character, Jasmine’s handmaiden. The latter looks a lot more impressed by the entrance then the princess Aladdin has his sights on.


But why does Will Smith say the line “when it comes to exotic-type mammals” while riding an Ostrich… birds aren’t mammals? Anyways, fans took to Twitter to voice some strong feelings about the clip. Take a look at @Ameligatha’s comments:


These comparisons were bound to happen. Some fans will never be pleased with anything other than the original, yet her comments display an interest in the movie moving away to rapping to differentiate it from the source material. According the Will Smith, he will be rapping in the flick, we just have yet to see it in the film yet. On the flip side, @stacydtwit defended the clip below:




So far, the new Aladdin has sought to offer a mix of nostalgia for the original Disney flick and bring a whole new world to moviegoers as well. The addition of Will Smith in of itself will bring a different kind of Aladdin and apparently he did a bit of improv on the film with Mena Massoud.


First reactions for the new Aladdin have been fairly positive, as early viewers have called Smith’s Genie a lot of fun and not worth the concern brought on since his blue look was first revealed.You can check out Aladdin in theaters on May 24. Are you excited for the film after a look at this “Prince Ali” clip? Let us know in the comments below!