Hard to find anybody to reprise that role and come anything close to Robin William. Will Smith was just terrible for this.

Hell give me Mike Myers or Andy Serkis over Will Smith all day
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My 2 cents...

Casting is just meh IMO

1. Jafar looks like a pussy. Doesn't even look evil, the mannerisms etc. Although this is just a trailer clip and could only see a few seconds of him, so I'm not giving up all hope yet. But those few seconds were kind of disappointing and he looks really wimpy.

2. They could have gotten someone hotter to play Jasmine. She appears to be too plain Jane for me. Sexy it up a little bit. Yes it's a childern's movie but most of the people (guys) who grew up watching as kids are in their mid 30's now. Don't ask me who could've casted Jasmine better because I dont know, but I'm sure they could have found someone hotter.

3. Iago better be voiced over by Gilbert Gottfried, although I'm afraid it's not going to be...haven't been able to find anything on IMDB or google search about it. Gottfried IS Iago.

4. And Will Smith. Ugh... Will Smith starring as himself. Most would say Robin Williams starred as himself as well. The main difference is, it was a cartoon so you didn't have to actually see Williams in the role, just his voice. This movie you're getting a blue Hulk Fresh Prince and it just looks weird IMO. Disney should have just made it 100% CGI character without showing Smith's physical/facial features etc and it'd probably work out ok. This is one of Disney's most iconic characters and with that is going to come a lot of criticism and huge shoes to fill and could ultimately be the movie's downfall.
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Legend of Bagger Vance, Ali, Concussion, Pursuit of Happyness, Seven Pounds, Enemy of the State, After Earth, I Am Legend.

Just off the top of my head, those roles are all very different.
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I've seen about half of those. All pretty much Will playing himself.
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He was damn good those movies sand after earth never seen jt. I can literally look at any actor and be like he's playing himself if I tried hard enough lol.
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“You ain’t never had a friend like me, HELL Naw!”
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The credits of any Will Smith movie should read "Starring Will Smith as himself."
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:-) :-) :-) :-)
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Will Smith as himself is fairly entertaining. It works for him a lot of the time.

Of the ones listed, I have seen I Am Legend, Enemy of the State, and Pursuit of Happiness. It's just Will Smith as Will Smith if he were put in those circumstances. It was fine. It worked for Men In Black and I Robot too. Will Smith as himself isn't the worst thing in the world but he is not a character actor.
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The recent rash of remakes clearly proves that Walt's influence on his beloved company is about gone.

His motto was keep moving forward. Instead, we get guaranteed cash grab remakes.

The only good remake was Cinderella and that is because Kenneth Branagh focused on making a movie and not agendas.
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Thats more about the state of the industry as a whole more than anything. People rarely go to the movies on something they have never heard of anymore.

Disney is in the business of making tentpoles and keeping shareholders happy. Not to be risky and edgy.
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True.

I don't need an edgy Disney. Just give me a Disney that wants to continue to strive for new ideas. Remaking animated classics is just lackluster. Especially when the new movies really don't add anything worthwhile.
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Yea I would agree. But these things are making money. Unlike stuff like Wrinkle in Time.
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