"He looks like a Snapchat filter" – Twitter is not impressed by Will Smith as Genie in the new Aladdin trailer

It’s not nice dunking on someone else’s work but, man, the people of Twitter have some strong reactions about one of the new Disney movies coming our way in 2019 as Will Smith turned up as the Genie in the new Aladdin trailer. Once a role made famous by Robin Williams in the Disney animated movie, the live-action remake has decided to forgo any sort of real digital wizardry in favour of a blue Will Smith with a dash of weird CGI thrown in for good measure. The result? An instant meme, and one that has generated a fair bit of feedback already.

So, here it is: the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to Will Smith’s genie in the live-action 2019 Aladdin remake. You might want to hide behind the sofa for this one because spoiler: Most of these aren’t kind.

He looks like...

As soon as the Aladdin trailer hit during last night’s Grammys then, inevitably, the comparisons came rolling in. Smurfs, Shrek, and even the Scorpion King are all frames of reference here. 

CG-why?!

Most, though, took umbrage with the fact that the special effects look a little on the iffy side – which is especially surprising when considering that Disney is nearly always at the top of its game when it comes to CGI tech. 

It blue up on Twitter

As you’ll soon see, everyone was cracking jokes left, right, and centre on social media. A few even pointed out that it looks eerily reminiscent of Tobias Funke’s ill-fated attempts to join the Blue Man Group in Arrested Development.

Did *anyone* like it?

Hey, at least some folks are still feeling pretty positive! One first look does not a bad character make.
 

Bradley Russell

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.