The film is not yet out but it already promises to be a good deal for Will Smith. The American actor has indeed negotiated a golden salary for his role as the Genie in the live-action remake of Aladdin.
Director Guy Ritchie may regret his casting choice. His next film Aladdin will not be released in theaters until 2019. So it doesn't bring him any money yet, yet it's already costing him a lot. Will Smith, hired to play the Genie, has the largest contract ever established for an actor. This record salary is due to the two different contracts that bind him to the film: one for his interpretation of our favorite blue character, and one for the recordings of the songs of the film. It's journalist Josh L. Dickey who reveals the information on his twitter account. How much exactly will Will Smith get? The exact amount is not known. That's more than the $50 million Robert Downey Jr earned playing in The Avengers , which was the record salary until then. Robin Williams, the previous interpreter of the Genie, had received $ 100,000 for this role, according to the site Statistic Brain. Will Smith is used to big fees: he claims to have earned $ 100 million by combining his fee and ancillary profits for Men In Black 3.
A new generation of Aladdin
The shooting of the film Aladdin by Guy Ritchie began in September 2017 in England. The main roles are played by Naomi Scott (Jasmine) and Mena Massoud (Aladdin). The villain Jafar will be played by actor Marwan Kenzari. Behind the scenes, there is also a rather prestigious cast. Benj Pasek and Justin Paul will write the lyrics of two previously unreleased songs for this remake of the Disney film. The two men were awarded last year with the Oscar for Best Original Song for "City of Stars", from the film La La Land. The lyricists did not say if these two new tracks will replace songs from the animated version or if they will address new themes. However, we hope to find the mythical introductory song of the Genie. There is no doubt that spectators will have a thought for the late Robin Williams. The actor had specified in his will that he refused to allow recordings of his voice to be used to shoot a sequel to Aladdin. Disney had to bend to the actor's will.
We'll find out in 2019 if Will Smith lives up to that legacy.
