Dwayne Johnson reportedly in talks to play Genie in Disney’s “Aladdin 2” after Will Smith’s “Oscars slap”

When Disney movie fans first learned that a live-action remake of Disney’s Aladdin was in the works, many were unhappy–some because they despise Disney remakes altogether and many because they weren’t sure anyone could play the part of Genie as well as Robin Williams, who passed away in 2013.

RELATED: Disney to scrap all live-action remakes this month, citing new discoveries about Walt Disney’s final directives

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Then Disney announced that Will Smith had been cast as Genie, leaving fans wondering how Smith might tackle a role like that of the animated Genie from Aladdin’s lamp.

But in general, Disney’s 2019 take-two of Aladdin was a success, even with those who doubted it could do justice to the story of Aladdin and Princess Jasmine, especially without the comedic prowess and quick-wittedness of Robin Williams as the lovable blue Genie. Will Smith embraced the role of Genie, showing us the hilarious wish-granter in a slightly different light.

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But recently, it’s Will Smith who has been seen in a different light.

During the 94th Academy Awards in March, Chris Rock stood to introduce the next award category, but not before Will and Jada Pinkett Smith caught his eye as they were seated in the front row. Chris Rock proceeded to make a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith‘s shaved head, likening her to “G. I. Jane.”

Moments later, Will Smith casually approached Chris Rock on the stage and violently slapped him across the face. The incident is known as “the Oscar slap.”

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The incident not only came as a shock to those seated at the event, but also to the millions of fans across the globe who watched the live broadcast of the 94th Academy Awards from their homes. Almost immediately, Will Smith and his wife Jada Pinkett Smith began to feel the fallout from his actions.

Now it’s possible that Smith’s behaviors will cost him the role of Genie in Disney’s second installment of the live-action version of Aladdin.

In what is called an “exclusive,” the site Giant Freakin Robot claims to have inside knowledge of a possible Smith-Disney split, as evidenced by info from the site’s “trusted and proven source” that tells them actor “Dwayne Johnson is currently in talks to join Aladdin 2 and could be working with Disney once again.”

Rumor has it that the “Oscar slap” has resulted in Smith losing his role as Genie in Aladdin 2 and that Dwayne Johnson, who has a long Hollywood resume that includes Disney’s name a few times, is gearing up to personify Genie.

Johnson’s Disney credits are extensive. According to Disney Fandom,

For Disney, he played Joe Kingman in the 2007 Disney family sports comedy film, The Game Plan and Jack Bruno in the 2009 Disney science-fiction/thriller film, Race to Witch Mountain. He also provided the voice of Maui in the 2016 Disney animated feature film, Moana and played Frank Wolff in Jungle Cruise.

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He also appeared as himself in Cory in the House, Hannah Montana, and Wizards of Waverly Place and as an air marshal in You Again. He was also mentioned in The Proud Family episode, “Smack Mania 6: Mongo Vs. Mama’s Boy”, the Liv and Maddie episodes “Sorta Sisters-a-Rooney” and “Voice-a-Rooney”, and several episodes of That’s So Raven and Raven’s Home. Additionally, he made a voice cameo as a bank robber in Free Guy.

Smith also has an extensive resume in Hollywood, and many of his credits have the Disney name on them as well.

Most recently, in 2021, The Walt Disney Company released Welcome to Earth on Disney+. The Darren Aronofsky nature series features Smith as the focal point in the series. According to The Walt Disney Company, Welcome to Earth “is an exciting, multisensory ride through Earth’s most mind-bending portals.”

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“It might seem humans have mapped every inch of our planet’s surface, but look closer and you’ll discover that there is still so much more to uncover – the age of exploration is far from over! WELCOME TO EARTH, a Disney+ original series from National Geographic, follows two-time Academy Award® nominee Will Smith on an extraordinary, once-in-a-lifetime adventure around the world to explore Earth’s greatest wonders and reveal its most hidden secrets. Throughout the six-part limited series produced by visionary Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Darren Aronofsky, Protozoa Pictures, Jane Root‘s Nutopia, and Westbrook Studios, Will is guided by elite explorers on an awe-inspiring journey, getting up close and personal with some of the most thrilling spectacles on the planet – from volcanoes that roar in silence to deserts that move beyond our perception to animal swarms with minds of their own.”

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It remains to be seen who will ultimately play Genie in Aladdin 2. Fans await Disney’s official announcement, which could come at any time.