Disney has a reputation for adapting timeless tales, fairy tales, and folklore into popular feature films and television shows. The 1992 animated masterpiece Aladdin is among the many adaptations. It was based on the tale from One Thousand and One Nights. And it has proven to be one of the most captivating. The main character of the movie discovers a magic lamp that can conjure a genie who can grant any wish. However, this puts him in conflict with a cunning evil vizier who wants to steal the lamp for himself.
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After becoming a huge success, Aladdin gave rise to two direct-to-video sequels, an animated series, and other projects. Mena Massoud, Naomi Scott, and Will Smith starred in a live-action version that was released in 2019. And it made more than $1 billion worldwide. Disney had already tried to adapt a different story from One Thousand and One Nights for the aborted film Musicana.
Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, which tells the tale of a merchant who outsmarts a gang of thieves, was to be featured in a segment of the movie. The story was told with anthropomorphic birds. And Disney has obviously continued to be interested in One Thousand and One Nights even though the project never materialized.
Disney is working on an adaptation of One Thousand and One Nights
According to Deadline, Disney is working on a new fantasy/science fiction adaptation of One Thousand and One Nights titled 1001 Nights. Arash Amel, who has previously worked with Disney+ on the biographical sports drama Rise, has been hired to write the screenplay. The film’s adaptation of the story is currently unknown. But despite sharing a source with Aladdin, it is said to be an original standalone IP.
Adapting One Thousand and One Nights separately from Aladdin allows Disney to think creatively and produce a distinct movie that will make the most of its storytelling abilities. Even though Aladdin is one of the most popular and enduring IPs for the company, some people are not happy with the live-action remake. And they want to see more daring live-action film adaptations of other stories. With 1001 Nights, Disney has the chance to explore a wider range of source material and combine well-known folktales with something fresh and exciting.
