Summary
Disney has a live-actionAladdinspinoff on the way, but I’m a little disappointed with the direction this project has taken. The 2019 live-action remake of the classic animated story was a box office smash, bringing in over $1 billion globally. Naturally, this meant the door was open to possible sequels and spinoffs, and it seems that Disney has taken the opportunity. Unfortunately, rather than continuing Aladdin’s story or following another tale inspired byThe Thousand and One Nights, the spinoff film that has been greenlit will feature the most unlikely of characters.
The live-actionAladdinfeatured a character called Prince Anders, played by the hilarious Billy Magnussen. He was one of Princess Jasmine’s eager suitors, and his outrageous personality added another layer of comedy to the film. In fact,Magnussen’s Prince Anders struck such a chord with audiences that Disney has greenlit a spinoff moviefollowing this character. While the pandemic slowed down the project’s progress,Magnussen has confirmed that the Prince AndersAladdinspinoff is still happening, and I can’t help but feel a little frustrated by this news.
Aladdin 2: Confirmation & Everything We Know About The Live-Action Disney Sequel
Guy Ritchie’s Alive-action remake of Aladdin was a huge hit, and despite Aladdin 2 being confirmed in 2020 the sequel isn’t here. Here’s what we know.
A Prince Anders Spinoff Makes No Sense (& Is Kind Of A Problem)
An Andors Spinoff Would Have Almost Nothing To Do With Aladdin
While I found Prince Anders hilarious, I’m a little baffled that Disney will put him at center stage in a spinoff movie. The character didn’t scream “main character,” soit’s difficult to imagine a film with Anders as a protagonist being anything but completely ludicrous. After all, the prince was meant to be silly—a contrast that proved no man could rule Agrabah as well as Jasmine could. Anders would have to undergo a lot of quick character building to elevate him from being a simple, superficial side character. While this type of shift isn’t unheard of, Anders isn’t particularly deserving of it.
Aladdinwas a rare opportunity, especially within Disney, for actors of color to claim the limelight. Magnussen was the only white actor in the film, and it’s frustrating thathewould be the one to get a spinoff. It’s not about the character or actor, per se. Rather, a film following Anders would likely be set in Skånland, his fictional home, which seems to have Norwegian or Russian influence. Such a setting is a dime in a dozen in the Disney universe. Though aPrince Anders spinoffwould technically be an extension ofAladdin’s universe,it would have none of thatThe Thousand and One Nightsflavor.
As of 2024, there is still no planned release date for the Prince Anders spinoff, though it is reportedly still actively heading toward production.
The Most Logical Aladdin Spinoff Would Follow Princess Jasmine
Jasmine Is The Only Disney Princess Without Her Own Movie
The fact that Anders gets a spinoff rather than Jasmine is rather ironic.
A Prince Anders spinoff is especially frustrating sincePrincess Jasmine would be the most logical leadfor anotherAladdinmovie. She is the only Disney Princess not to have her own film, and given the elevated role she played in the 2019 live-action movie,it makes sense that the House of Mouse would produce a film exploring her reign as Sultan of Agrabah. It’s the position that Prince Anders would have held if hehadmarried Jasmine, and a significant point of the 2019 film was that he was undeserving, with his only qualification being he was male. The fact that Anders gets a spinoff rather than Jasmine is rather ironic.
Other Aladdin Spinoffs That Would Be Way Better Than Prince Anders
Other Characters Could Maintain That “Thousand And One Nights” Feel
While I would love to see a Princess Jasmine spinoff movie or TV show, several other possibleAladdin-based ideas would be preferred to a Prince Anders story. The 2019 live-action movie placed Will Smith’s Genie in a uniquely expandable position, since he and his wife, Dalia (Nasim Pedrad) set out on adventures together on their boat. This opens the door to endless stories,many of which could take inspiration from other stories inThe Thousand and One Nights.
All 13 Disney Princesses & The Folklore They’re Based On
Disney princesses can trace their origins back hundreds of centuries, all across the world, and some are based on shockingly violent fairy tales.
Jasmine’s mother is another interesting character that I would love to see more of. She was only mentioned in 2019’sAladdin, but she was presented as a rather intriguing figure who loved her people and whose people loved her.There have also been requests for a Jafar prequel moviedetailing his rise from being a pickpocket to becoming the Grand Vizier. Any of theseAladdinspinoffs would possess the flavor that has made this story so loved to begin with. Unfortunately, I don’t think the same could be said for the Prince Anders movie.
Aladdin
Cast
Guy Ritchie directs the 2019 reimagining of the Walt Disney animated classic, Aladdin. This live-action variation stars Will Smith, Mena Massoud, and Naomi Scott. Although it features a slight variation on the original story and musical numbers, it’s still rather true to the source material.
