Entertainment

'Aladdin' Actor Mena Massoud's Tribute To The Animated Film Will Make You Super Nostalgic

by Mathew Jedeikin

Get ready to feel old... Or, more specifically, get ready to feel old if you remember seeing Aladdin when it was released in theaters, because the animated movie came out exactly 25 years ago. In honor of the film's major anniversary, one of the stars of the live-action remake, Massoud's tribute to the animated Aladdin's 25th anniversary on Instagram is so adorable. In his note, Massoud himself acknowledged how "crazy" it is that the much beloved family film was first released two and a half decades ago.

And 25 years later, the live-action Aladdin film will be directed by Guy Ritchie, and will star Mena Massoud as Aladdin opposite Naomi Scott and Princess Jasmine, with Will Smith providing the voice of the Genie. Production on the movie begun in London in September, 2017, according to Variety. The screenplay was written by John August based both on the original film and stories from “One Thousand and One Nights.” The movie’s score is being provided by Alan Menken, and it will include two brand new songs.

"Happy 25th Anniversary boo!" Massoud, 26, captured an Instagram photo of himself holding a copy of Aladdin on Blu Ray. "Crazy to think that when I was a one year-old this story of Aladdin came to life." I mean, Massourd is right, it's pretty crazy to think that it has now been 25 years since Aladdin was first released to theaters.

Massourd ended his caption with a message that highlighted how grateful he is for the opportunity to be involved in the live-action remake, as well as a recommendation for what fans should do with their free time this evening. The caption continued,

"And now, 25 years later, I have the honor & privilege to help re-tell this magical Disney story once again. Get cozy & give it a watch tonight peeps!"

Debuting in theaters on November 25, 1992, the animated version of Aladdin was the highest grossing film at the box office of the year, earning $217 million in the U.S., and over $500 million worldwide. The classic movie stared the voice of the late Robin Williams, who's portrayal of the Genie has entertained millions of children and adults all over the world, as well as Scott Weinger ( who voiced Aladdin), Linda Larkin (Princess Jasmine), and Gilbert Gottfried (Iago). The film was critically acclaimed, and won numerous accolades including two Academy Awards for Best Music, Original Score and Best Music, Original Song for "A Whole New World."

It's one of Disney's most beloved animated movies, so it hardly came as a surprise when the studio announced intentions to release a live-action version of Aladdin. Especially considering how well received other recent live-action remakes have been. Case in point: the live-action version of Beauty and the Beast starring Emma Watson is the highest grossing film of 2017, according to Box Office Mojo.

Getting cozy and watching Aladdin tonight definitely sounds like a good way to spend the evening. Unfortunately, Aladdin isn't currently available to stream on Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon. So if you don't already have a physical or digital copy of the animated film (like Massoud), then you may need to either order a copy online or run out to a nearby Target to get one.

In the meantime, there are plenty of clips from Aladdin online, including most of the musical numbers. So you can totally order yourself a copy of Aladdin on Blue Ray from Amazon, then get into the mood by watching your favorite clips online while you wait for the disc to arrive, all without leaving home.

The live-action Aladdin remake isn't slated to hit theaters until May 24, 2019. Yes, that's over a year away, so plenty of time to watch, then re-watch that new copy of Aladdin in preparation for the live-action version.