If not for the will of the late Robin Williams, there might well have been an Aladdin sequel voiced by the legendary comedian. Williams recorded enough unused material during the making of the original film in 1991 for another one, claims an unnamed former Disney executive in a new interview with The Times of London (via New York Post).
The source claims the outtakes were planned to be used in a fourth film in the Aladdin franchise, but the project had to be shelved when Disney found points in Robins’ will that prevents the major production studio from using his name, or any taped performances or recordings for a full 25 years after his death.
While the performance outtakes weren’t used for the original feature film, the unnamed Disney executive said that they were top-notch. “When he was on form, the hyperactive motormouth we love from Good Morning Vietnam, Hook, Dead Poets Society, and Mrs. Doubtfire was making 30 jokes a minute.”
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The clause isn’t all too surprising for Williams, who has expressed disappointment with Disney in the past. In a 1993 interview with the Today Show, he explained that he didn’t want the mega-studio using his voice to promote Aladdin-inspired merchandise.
“We had a deal,” said Williams to interviewer Gene Shalit (via LA Times). “The one thing I said was I will do the voice. I’m doing it basically because I want to be part of this animation tradition. I want something for my children. One deal is, I just don’t want to sell anything — as in Burger King, as in toys, as in stuff.”
The clause puts any use of Williams’ recording on ice until 2039. In the meantime, “[the jokes] will remain in the vaults,” said the Disney exec. That said, some of the outtakes (apparently those that were previously authorized) were released in last month’s Blu-ray release of Aladdin. Check out some of those extended outtakes via ABC’s Good Morning America below.
