Guy Ritchie's 2019 live-action adaptation of Disney's 1992 animated film Aladdin was a commercial success, grossing over $1 billion worldwide. So, it's no surprise that a sequel is in the works, but the direction that the sequel intends to take is what's interesting.
In a recent interview with Variety, Aladdin star Mena Massoud spoke about the progress of the sequel, stating: I don't know that there is movement. There was a change with the writers, and they are working on a brand new draft. That's all I know. If Aladdin 2 happens, that's fantastic. I think it should happen. Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich of Rideback Productions, who did the Lego movies, and Aladdin, want to make sure they get this right. So if we do see Aladdin 2, it's not going to be based off the animated version at all. This is going to be a brand-new original story. Aladdin's producer, Dan Lin, had previously indicated that the sequel to the live-action film would not follow the 1994 Disney sequel, The Return of Jafar, saying: If I told you the fans would go crazy. It's just too early for me to reveal. But just know that we're looking at a lot of different source material and it's not going to be based on one singular source, but we're going to take the best of everything that's been done before and create something fresh and new. Will Smith's infamous slap got him banned from attending all Academy functions, including the Oscars, for ten years.