Aladdin (franchise)

Aladdin
Creator	Walt Disney Animation Studios
Original work	The folk tale of Aladdin
Owner	The Walt Disney Company
Films and television
Films	Aladdin (1992)
Television series	Once Upon a Time in Wonderland (2013–2014)*
Animated series	Aladdin (1994–1995)
Television specials	"Hercules and the Arabian Night" (1999 episode of Disney's Hercules: The Animated Series)*
Television films	Descendants (2015)*
Direct-to-video	The Return of Jafar (1994) Aladdin and the King of Thieves (1996) Mickey's House of Villains (2002)* Disney Princess Enchanted Tales: Follow Your Dreams (2007)* Genies (TBA)
Theatrical presentations
Musicals	Aladdin Jr. Disney's Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular (2003) Aladdin (2011)
Games
Video games	Disney's Aladdin (1993; Virgin Games) Disney's Aladdin (1993; Capcom) Disney's Aladdin (1994; SIMS) Disney's Aladdin Activity Center (1994) Disney's Aladdin Print Kit (1994) Disney's Aladdin in Nasira's Revenge (2001) Kingdom Hearts (2002)* Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories (2004)* Kingdom Hearts II (2005)* Kinect: Disneyland Adventures (2011)* Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes (2014)*
Audio
Soundtracks	Aladdin: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1992)
Miscellaneous
Theme park attractions	Adventureland Bazaar (1992–present) Le Passage Enchanté d'Aladdin (1993–present) The Enchanted Tiki Room (Under New Management) (1998–2011)* The Magic Carpets of Aladdin (2001–present) Arabian Coast (2001–present) Disney's Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular (2003–2016)
* Work where this franchise's characters or settings appeared as part of a crossover, or has characters based on those from this franchise.

Aladdin is a Disney media franchise comprising a film series and additional media. The success of the original 1992 American animated feature, Aladdin, directed by Ron Clements and John Musker, led to two direct-to-video sequels, a television show (which had a crossover episode with Hercules: The Animated Series), a segment in Disney Princess Enchanted Tales: Follow Your Dreams, a one-act, seven-scene theatre musical, a musical show at Disney California Adventure, a Broadway musical, a ride in Magic Kingdom, a themed land at Tokyo DisneySea, a walkthrough attraction at Disneyland Paris, a bazaar at the main entrance to Adventureland in Disneyland Paris, several video games, and merchandise.

Films

Aladdin (1992)

Aladdin was released in 1992. The 31st Disney animated feature film was directed by John Musker and Ron Clements, and is based on the Arab-style folktale of Aladdin and the magic lamp from One Thousand and One Nights. The plot follows street urchin Aladdin as he attempts to gain the affection of Princess Jasmine after acquiring a magic lamp.

The Return of Jafar (1994)

Aladdin was followed by Disney's first direct-to-video sequel, The Return of Jafar in 1994. The film saw the debut of a new character, Abis Mal, voiced by Jason Alexander, and all of the original cast, except for Robin Williams, replaced by Dan Castellaneta, and Douglas Seale, replaced by Val Bettin. The plot mainly focused on Jafar seeking revenge on Aladdin. However, this time, with Iago on Aladdin's side, Abis Mal becomes Jafar's new henchman.^[1] Iago kicks the black lamp into the magma where it melts and submerges causing Jafar to disappear once and for all.

Aladdin and the King of Thieves (1996)

In 1996, the second sequel to Aladdin, Aladdin and the King of Thieves was released on video. The story concludes as Aladdin and Jasmine are about to have their wedding and Aladdin discovers that his father is still alive, but is the king of all thieves in Agrabah.^[1] In 2005, screenwriter Robert Reece, who co-wrote Cinderella III: A Twist in Time and The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning, pitched a fourth Aladdin feature to DisneyToon Studios execs, although it never came to fruition.^[2]

Genies (TBA)

On July 15, 2015, it was reported that a live-action prequel to Aladdin is currently in development under the title, Genies. The new film will reportedly focus on genies, their realm and reveal how Aladdin's genie ended up in the lamp. The film is being written by Damian Shannon and Mark Swift. Tripp Vinson will serve as a producer through Vinson Films. If the film is a success, a live-action remake of the original film may be made.^[3]

Aladdin Live action (TBA)

October 10, 2016, Deadline reports that Disney are developing a Live Action Aladdin movie John August writing the script and Dan Lin producing, the site also reports that Guy Ritchie is in talks to direct the film.^[4]

Television

Aladdin

Shortly after The Return of Jafar, the Aladdin TV series was aired on television. The episodes focused on Aladdin's adventures after the events of the second film.^[5]

The Aladdin characters later made a crossover with Hercules: The Animated Series,^[6] and were featured as guests in the television series House of Mouse and related works to those series—Jafar was the leader of the villains in Mickey's House of Villains.^[7]

Once Upon a Time

On the TV series, Once Upon a Time and its spinoff Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, Jafar appears as one of the main villains.^[8] In addition, Aladdin and Jasmine also appear in recurring roles in Once Upon a Time's sixth season.

Descendants

Descendants is a live-action Disney Channel Original Movie based on the lives of the children of various Disney heroes and villains when they attend the same prep school. Jafar appears in the film as does his son, Jay.

Critical reaction

The original Aladdin film has received critical acclaim. The various other aspects of the franchise, such as the direct-to-video sequels, have received mixed to negative reviews.

Cast and characters

Video games

Along with the film release, three different video games based on Aladdin were released. Disney's Aladdin, a coproduction between Virgin Games and Walt Disney Feature Animation for the Genesis, was released in late 1993 and later ported to Nintendo Entertainment System, PC, Game Boy and Game Boy Color.^[9] That same year, Capcom released a Super NES game, also called Disney's Aladdin, which was ported to the Game Boy Advance in 2002.^[10][11] In 1994, SIMS released another game called Disney's Aladdin for the Game Gear and Master System.^[12]

The television series inspired another game by Argonaut Games, entitled Aladdin: Nasira's Revenge and released in 2000 for the PlayStation and PC.^[13] Also, in 2004 Vivendi Universal released Disney's Aladdin Chess Adventures, a chess computer game with the Aladdin license.^[14]

The Kingdom Hearts series features a playable Aladdin world known as Agrabah.^[15] In Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, the plotline is loosely related to the storyline of the original film.^[15][16] In Kingdom Hearts II, it is a mixture of Aladdin and The Return of Jafar.^[17] Genie is also a recurring summon in the series.^[15]

Aladdin, Jasmine, and the Genie appeared in the 2011 motion-controlled game, Kinect: Disneyland Adventures, as meet-and-greet characters. Aladdin was also referenced throughout the Disney Infinity series via power discs and in-game toys, with Aladdin and Jasmine being added to the series as playable characters in the series' second game, Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes.

Critical reaction

Adaptations

In November 2010 Alan Menken confirmed that a musical theatre adaptation of the show is in the works with a book written by Chad Beguelin.^[20] The show premiered at the 5th Avenue Theatre from July 7–31, 2011.^[21] Jonathan Freeman, who voiced Jafar in the film, played the role in the stage adaptation.^[22] Adam Jacobs and Courtney Reed played Aladdin and Jasmine. Additional actors included Seán G. Griffin as the Sultan; Don Darryl Rivera as Iago; and, playing Omar, Babkak, and Kassim – a trio of characters originally conceived by the film's creators but not used – Andrew Keenan-Bolger, Brian Gonzales, and Brandon O'Neill. The show was also directed and choreographed by Casey Nicholaw.^[23] Another production of the musical played at the Muny Theatre in St. Louis from July 5–13, 2012.^[24][25] The musical premiered on Broadway on February 26, 2014 (in previews) and officially opened on March 20, 2014 at the New Amsterdam Theatre, taking the place of Mary Poppins.^[26][27] The musical had a pre-Broadway tryout at the Ed Mirvish Theatre in Toronto lasting from November 13, 2013 to January 12, 2014.^[28] Casey Nicholaw directed and choreographed, with Chad Beguelin writing the book and additional lyrics, Bob Crowley as the scene designer, and costume design by Gregg Barnes.^[28][29] Aladdin the musical was also opened at Tokyo's Dentsu Shiki Theatre Umi in May 2015. It had its European premiere in December 2015 at the Stage Theatre Neue Flora in Hamburg. It will open in Sydney and London's West End in 2016.^[30][31]

In addition, a stage adaptation of the movie has been created for younger students, known as "Disney's Aladdin Jr." Licensing and performing rights are currently being held by Music Theatre International.^[32] MTI licenses both a "Kids" version (which uses doubling to foster more of an ensemble feeling among young children)^[33] and a "Dual Language" version (which takes the Junior version and adds an element of half the characters speaking only in Spanish).^[34]

The film also inspired a Disney On Ice presentation,^[35] and two attractions in Disney's theme parks: "The Magic Carpets of Aladdin", a Dumbo the Flying Elephant-like ride at both Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort and Walt Disney Studios Park at Disneyland Resort Paris;^[36][37] and the show Disney's Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular at Disney California Adventure Park.^[38]

In 2015 Disney Press launched a young adult novel series that retells Disney films but with certain elements changed. The first novel in the series is A Whole New World: A Twisted Tale, written by Liz Braswell, which retells the film but with Jafar gaining control of the genie before Aladdin does.^[39]

Attractions

• The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
• Arabian Coast
• Le Passage Enchanté d'Aladdin
• Adventureland Bazaar

Music

References