Aladdin remake confirms leads including Will Smith

From Prima

After all that speculation and controversy, Disney has announced the casting for its upcoming Aladdin remake.

Unveiled at the D23 Expo today (July 15), it was revealed that Will Smith will play the Genie, while Mena Massoud will take on the lead as Aladdin.

Naomi Scott (Power Rangers) has also been announced as Jasmine.

The confirmation comes days after reports emerged that director Guy Ritchie was struggling to find his lead, though this has put all that chatter to rest.

Massoud is a relative newcomer, though he has appeared in the likes of Jack Ryan and TeenNick series Open Heart.

'So honored & grateful for the opportunity to help bring this magical story to life once again. Let's get to work!' he tweeted following the big announcement.

The original casting call was stationed around the world, with casting directors apparently testing thousands of actors for the role.

Scott rose to fame in the role of the Pink Ranger in this year's Power Rangers live-action reboot. Smith, meanwhile, had been touted for the role of the Genie – voiced by Robin Williams in the original Disney movie – so his confirmation does not come as a huge surprise.

Meanwhile, Tom Hardy is the latest star tipped to join the movie, with reports suggesting the Dunkirk star will play Jafar.

While not a huge amount more was revealed, we already do know that the remake will be a musical like the original.

All images © Getty

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