It’s hard to believe that it’s been over 20 since Aladdin began to hit the movie theaters. The film, which follows the adventures of the street urchin Aladdin, became the highest-grossing film back in 1992.
You think you know everything about Aladdin? Check out these facts and see how much you’ve known about this iconic Disney movie.
1. The producers of Aladdin, wanted Robin Williams to play the role of the genie; but in the case that he was to decline their offer, they lined up several other back-up actors such as Steve Martin, Eddie Murphy, and Albert Brooks.
2. Gilbert Gottfried, the voice of Iago, was actually Disney’s third choice for this role, as they first offered it to Deny DeVito and then to Joe Pesci.
3. The animated characters in Aladdin were made to look unrealistic on purpose, by the illustrators.
4. Frank Welker, the voice of Scooby-Doo, provided the monkey sounds for Abu, as well as the sounds for both the monkey in “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and Curious George.
5. Not only does Jafar share many similarities with the villain of “Sleeping Beauty”, Maleficent, but he was also based on her character.
6. Aladdin is full of cameos by characters such as Pinocchio, the Beast, Sebastian, and even a hidden Mickey Mouse.
7. The sign that reads “Applause” at the end of the song a “Friend Like Me”, was originally added, because there was no applause after the songs in the preview screenings. The animators liked the sign; however, so they decided to keep it in the film.
8. Some of the lyrics in the opening song, “Arabian Nights”, were changed after some Arabic Americans took offense to them.
9. Robin Williams was the voice of not only the Genie, but also the merchant who sings the opening song. Originally, the merchant was supposed to be revealed as being the Genie, at the end of the movie; however, this never happened.
10. The voice actress of Princess Jasmine, Linda Larkin, was almost fired when the movie’s producer was not convinced that she sounded enough like royalty.