'Aladdin' Director Guy Ritchie Wants Tom Hardy To Play Jafar
06/10/2017 12:50 pm EDT
Following the success of the live-action adaptation of Beauty and The Beast, Disney will be adapting their 1992 hit Aladdin into a live-action film, with Guy Ritchie at the helm. Many of the films prominent roles have yet to be cast, but recent rumors reveal that Ritchie wants Mad Max: Fury Road star Tom Hardy to play the nefarious Jafar.
A source told The Sun, "Guy is a huge fan of Tom's work and securing him would be a major coup." They added, "There have been conversations and, although nothing is set in stone and things are subject to change, he's certainly one of Guy's favored choices."
This doesn't mean Hardy is a sure thing, as the source points out, "It just depends on schedules whether he'll be able to sign up."
No other casting decisions have officially been announced, but Jade Thirlwall has been rumored to play Princess Jasmine in the film.
UP NEXT: Will Smith In Talks To Play The Genie In Disney's Live-Action Aladdin
Attempting to turn beloved animated classics into live-action films has proven a gamble for Disney, some of which have paid off.
In 2015, Cinderella became a box office hit, earning nearly $550 million worldwide. Additionally, the Kenneth Branagh-directed film received mostly positive reviews, earning an 83% on review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes.
Disney continued their success with updating their classic animated films, bringing The Jungle Book to life and earning nearly $1 billion worldwide. This film was an even riskier move, as the film focuses on a young boy interacting with talking animals, causing director Jon Favreau to create almost the entire film using CGI.
The success of The Jungle Book bodes well for another adaptation, The Jungle Book: Origins, directed by Lord of the Rings star Andy Serkis.
Earlier this year, Beauty and the Beast proved to be another massive hit, having earned $1.2 billion worldwide through its theatrical run.
MORE NEWS: Disney's Live-Action Aladdin Film Will Be An Explosive Musical
Sadly, Hardy revealed some tragic news with his fans this week, informing them that his dog Woody had died after a six-month battle with polymyositisis.
"I don't normally speak out about family and friends but this is an unusual circumstance. Woody affected so many people in his own right," Hardy wrote about the pup's passing. "He was far too young to leave us and we at home are devastated by his loss. I am ultimately grateful for his loyal companionship and love and it is of some great comfort that he is no longer suffering."
Hardy revealed that he found the dog roaming the streets while filming a movie in Georgia and, in his attempts to save the pup, ended up rescuing a devoted companion.
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