We have our first look at Will Smith as Genie in Aladdin and... something is very wrong.

There are few things that get me more excited than a live-action remake of a Disney classic.

I’m a 26-year-old child, what can I say?

We’ve just been given out first look at Disney’s live-action release adaptation of 1992’s Aladdin – due to be released in May 2019 (two months after the live-action Dumbo, two months before the live-action Lion King and five months before a reimagined Lady and the Tramp – what a year!)

Entertainment Weekly shared its cover showing Jasmine and Aladdin, played by Naomi Scott and Mena Massoud, and Will Smith as Genie.

And that is where there was a bit of a problem.

 

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A post shared by Entertainment Weekly (@entertainmentweekly) on Dec 19, 2018 at 4:44am PST

 

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Obviously Will Smith has big shoes to fill – the late Robin Williams was truly iconic as the fast-talking, hilarious and loveable Genie in the animated film.

Speaking to EW, Smith acknowledged the “terrifying” prospect of following in Williams’ footsteps but said he decided to infuse the character with his personality, just as Williams had done.

“I started to feel confident that I could deliver something that was an homage to Robin Williams but was musically different,” he said.

“Just the flavor of the character would be different enough and unique enough that it would be in a different lane, versus trying to compete.”

And while it’s fair enough that Smith wanted to put his own stamp on the character, there was one glaring issue that Twitter could not ignore.

Why the heck is Will Smith’s genie not blue?

pic.twitter.com/IBd7jXpQgP

— Amit Gawas ???? (@amitgawas99) December 19, 2018

They had one job with the genie… pic.twitter.com/YANAAtflcu

— Cameron ???? (@Camo1023) December 19, 2018

The genie is supposed to be blue.
THE GODDAMN GENIE IS SUPPOSED TO BE BLUUUUUUE!#Aladdin pic.twitter.com/0q7XCgPqRo

— Shary Bobbins Comes Back ☂️ (@KWilsonHunte) December 19, 2018

Couldn’t they find a real blue person to play the genie?

— Mister Antagonist (@I_M_Antagonist) December 19, 2018

Outrageous.

The panic was short lived, thankfully, as Smith clarified that a few hours later that he would in fact be blue.

“Yes, I’m gonna be BLUE!” he wrote on Instagram. “This is how the Genie is in Human / Disguise Form. My character will be CGI most of the movie.”

 

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Ooh the relief.