Once upon a time, Guy Ritchie was a British filmmaker knocking out gritty, funny little crime flicks that managed to hold their own in the post-“Pulp Fiction” world that spawned numerous Quentin Tarantino imitators, but few with a distinctive voice to call their own. But ever since he saw true blockbuster success with “Sherlock Holmes,” Ritchie has been quite comfortable in the mainstream/branded entertainment realm. However, his last two efforts for Warner Bros. haven’t been so great. “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” flopped last summer, and the upcoming “King Arthur: Legend of the Sword” looks poised to be another misfire, with its multiple release date changes, and failing to inspire any excitement at this year’s San Diego Comic Con (where Ritchie didn’t even bother to show up). So, maybe its not a big surprise he’s headed over to Disney.
READ MORE: Disney Developing Live-Action ‘Aladdin’ Prequel
The director has been announced as the man behind the camera for the live action “Aladdin.” The latest in Disney’s string of reboots of their animated classics is said to have a non-linear narrative, however, the script by John August (“Big Fish,” “Charlie And The Chocolate Factory“) is said to retain many of the hit songs from the original film (“A Whole New World” and the film’s score by Alan Menken won Oscars). It seems like this is a different take than the “Aladdin” prequel that was announced last year. However, there’s no word yet on how the studio will reinvent the Genie, after the late Robin Williams‘ iconic voice performance.
No release date yet for this one, but it’s likely a few years off. [THR]