Robin Williams played the most iconic role in Disney’s Aladdin as the comical genie, but why didn’t the renowned actor return for the sequel?
The beloved actor Robin Williams brought life to every character he played throughout his film career and portrayed several real-life figures. But one of his most nostalgic roles was his voice-acting performance as Genie in Disney’s Aladdin. The 1992 film was a huge success that grossed over $500 million worldwide. Aladdin‘s immediate popularity called for a sequel, which was released merely two years later.
In addition to its spectacular voice-acting performances, Aladdin was also praised for its catchy soundtrack, which continued in the sequels. Aladdin II: The Return of Jafar took place a year after the events of Aladdin. Genie returned to Agrabah even after he was set free at the end of the first film. Despite Genie’s comeback, Williams was noticeably absent from the film. Why didn’t Williams reprise his role in the sequel despite the first film’s immense popularity?
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When Williams signed on to voice Genie in Aladdin, he made his requirements clear to Disney. He did not want his voice used for any marketing campaigns. But Disney breached this agreement when it created several commercials and Genie merchandise. This betrayal resulted in a fallout between Williams and Disney, and the actor refused to reprise his voice acting role for Return of Jafar. According to the LA Times, Williams had also only been paid $75,000 for his performance, but this pay cut resulted in his refusal to participate in any promotional material.
Since Disney allegedly betrayed Williams’ trust, the studio was now short a voice actor for Genie. Disney was forced to recruit Dan Castellaneta for Return of Jafar. Castellaneta is best recognized for his voice-acting role as Homer Simpson in The Simpsons. It was hard for older viewers not to have the picture of Homer in their heads when they watched Return of Jafar, which may have resulted in the sequel’s mixed reviews. Although, the film has gained a better reputation over time.
Despite the fallout with Disney, Williams agreed to voice Genie for the 1996 film Aladdin and the King of Thieves after the company’s apology. Disney was clearly thrilled to have Williams back because it pushed aside Castellaneta’s previously recorded voice-acting lines and created scenes exclusively for Williams. Despite Williams’ return, Castellaneta returned as Genie for the Kingdom Hearts video game series. While Aladdin and the King of Thieves also received mixed reviews, the film wasn’t met with as much criticism as the franchise’s previous installment.
Due to the popularity of Disney’s OG animated films, several live-action remakes have been released in the past few years. The live-action remake of Aladdin was released in 2019 and starred Will Smith as Genie following Williams’ death in 2014. The film grossed over $1 billion worldwide, which prompted a sequel with an undetermined release date. Considering the hot water that Smith landed himself following the Academy Awards incident, however, it’s unclear if that could have impacted the live-action sequel’s production. Despite the 2019 film’s financial success, nobody can fill Williams’ shoes.
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