Home » Arts & Entertainment » Movies » After Robin Williams Passed, Disney Wanted to Make a New Aladdin Movie Featuring His Unused Recordings from the Previous Films. However, This was Forbidding by a Special Clause in Williams’ Will.
Robin Williams Alladin

After Robin Williams Passed, Disney Wanted to Make a New Aladdin Movie Featuring His Unused Recordings from the Previous Films. However, This was Forbidding by a Special Clause in Williams’ Will.

Robin Williams, the beloved actor, brought to life every character he played in his film career and portrayed several real-life figures. But his performance as Genie in Disney’s Aladdin was one of his most memorable. But did you know that Disney was not allowed to use previous recordings made by Williams for the role of Genie?

Following Robin Williams’ death, Disney planned to make a new Aladdin film using Williams’ previously unseen Genie outtakes. However, this was prohibited by a particular clause in Williams’ will, causing Disney to abandon their plans.

The Creation of Genie

Over the years, Disney has delivered some pitch-perfect voice casting. One great example is Dwayne Johnson’s Maui in Moana and James Earl Jones’ Mufasa in The Lion King. On the other hand, Williams stands out as an uncanny marriage of actor and character.

Before the release of Aladdin, the actor had worked in both drama and comedy and had received three Oscar nominations. However, the Disney film captured the manic energy that made Williams famous in the 1970s. The film’s ability to accommodate whatever Genie’s powers and Williams’ imagination conjured was due to the magic of animation.

Clements spoke with The Hollywood Reporter about how he and Musker worked with Williams on the role.

One of the great joys in all my years at Disney was getting to watch Robin Williams at work on Aladdin. The script was written for him in an improvisational style, and he always started with the script as written. Then he would start embellishing, adding stuff, changing stuff, going faster and faster as he went along.

Ron Clements, Disney Animator

This back-and-forth between Williams and the script is palpable onscreen. Genie’s pop culture knowledge may be lost on younger viewers, but Williams’ energetic performance transcends that. The actor showed a solid physical commitment to the role.

Williams recorded in four-hour sessions and hardly ever stopped, By the end of each one, it was like he had gone through an intense physical workout, covered in perspiration. There were times when he was especially in the zone — on another level — and the stuff he was coming up with was jaw-droppingly awesome.

Ron Clements, Disney Animator

(Source: Cheat Sheet

The Underpaid Genie

Given the success of Aladdin, many fans believe Williams walked away with a small fortune. According to Business Insider, the actor was barely compensated for his work on the Disney classic. Although he agreed to take a pay cut of $75,000 to voice the Genie, Williams stipulated that this was in exchange for his voice not being used on Aladdin merchandise.

We had a deal. The one thing I said was I will do the voice. I’m doing it basically because I want to be part of this animation tradition. I want something for my children. One deal is, I just don’t want to sell anything — as in Burger King, as in toys, as in stuff.”

Robin Williams, Actor 

Aladdin, of course, spawned a slew of merchandise, forcing Disney and Williams to part ways. Eventually, the studio reached an agreement with the star. And Williams returned for the second direct-to-video Aladdin sequel, Aladdin and the King of Thieves, released in 1996. He reportedly earned a $1 million salary to return to the franchise this time. (Source: Cheat Sheet

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