Disney’s Live-Action ALADDIN 2 is Rumored to Be Back in Development

After spending years in development limbo, Disney’s live-action Aladdin 2 is reportedly back in the works, and the studio is said to be looking for new writers to tackle the sequel.

According to scooper MyTimeToShineHello, Aladdin 2 has returned to active development at Disney, with the studio currently searching for writers. Disney hasn’t officially confirmed the report, so for now, this one should be treated strictly as a rumor.

Still, it’s an interesting development considering how long the sequel has been floating around without much movement.

Mena Massoud, who played Aladdin in the 2019 live-action film, previously admitted that he didn’t have any concrete information about what was happening with the project.

While promoting The Sacrifice Game, Massoud explained that the SAG-AFTRA and Writers Guild of America strikes had put the sequel in limbo. After years of waiting since making the first movie, he had reached the point where “life just goes on.”

It’s easy to understand why Disney would remain interested in returning to Agrabah. Directed by Guy Ritchie, Aladdin starred Massoud alongside Naomi Scott as Jasmine, Will Smith as the Genie, Marwan Kenzari as Jafar, and Navid Negahban as the Sultan.

The live-action remake followed street thief Aladdin as he discovered a magical lamp containing the Genie and became caught up in Jafar’s plan to take control of Agrabah.

Made for an estimated $183 million, Aladdin went on to earn approximately $1.054 billion worldwide, including more than $355 million in North America. That’s a pretty convincing financial reason for Disney to keep Aladdin 2 somewhere on its radar.

The movie also connected more strongly with audiences than critics. Aladdin currently has a 6.9/10 rating on IMDb, while Rotten Tomatoes has it sitting at 57% from critics and 94% from audiences. Fans have continued to praise the cast, music, and visual effects. I personally enjoyed the film!

Should Aladdin 2 finally get moving again, Disney also has an opportunity to take the story somewhere new rather than simply adapting one of the animated sequels.

Jasmine ended the first film as the new Sultana of Agrabah, which gives a sequel plenty to explore. Watching her deal with the responsibilities of ruling while Aladdin figures out where he fits into that world could provide a natural continuation of their story.

Of course, a search for new writers means there’s still a long road between development and cameras actually rolling. There’s also no official word yet on whether Ritchie, Massoud, Scott, Smith, or the rest of the original creative team and cast would return.

For now, Aladdin 2 remains an unconfirmed Disney project that may have found some new life. Considering the first film crossed the billion-dollar mark, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Disney take another trip to Agrabah if the right story comes together. I’m just surprised it didn’t come together sooner.