The live-action remake of Disney’s Aladdin has apparently hit a snag as the production has yet to cast its main leads. A post by The Hollywood Reported details the struggles director Guy Ritchie and company have gone through in search of their “diamond in the rough.” First, while known commodities Riz Ahmed and Dev Patel were apparently considered at one point or another, Disney is hoping to cast a newcomer in the role instead. This has led to a worldwide casting call with more than 2,000 actors testing for the lead roles of Aladdin and Jasmine. Meanwhile, THR says Will Smith is officially attached to play the Genie and that the studio is looking for another star to play Jafar. Some names being floated for Jasmine now include Naomi Scott from the recent Power Rangers film and Tara Sutaria, although the final decision will come down to chemistry with whoever scores the Aladdin role.
Originally, casting call information cited a July start date for Aladdin but that’s now been delayed until August at least. Despite the apparent drama, THR notes that Disney has actually had great success with these large casting calls in the past, including finding Daisy Ridley to play Rey in The Force Awakens. Currently, Guy Ritchie’s take on Aladdin is without a release date.