Fan theories are a tricky proposition. For every one that is well thought out, supported by solid evidence, and bears the ring of truth, there are exponentially more that, when you hear people arguing for them, make you cock your head to the side like a confused dog. Even more rare an occurrence is when one turns out to be correct, but according to the guys who made the film, there’s one long-standing theory about Disney’s Aladdin that is actually spot on.
Before you get too excited, it’s not the whole "take off your clothes" thing, that’s still bunk, but the theory that the old peddler early on in the film is actually the Genie, well, turns out that’s true. With a new Blu-ray release hitting the shelves earlier this week, directors Ron Clements and John Musker chatted with E! News, debunking some of the popular theories floating around. However, when asked if any are in fact legitimate, Clement said:
I saw something that speculates that the peddler at the beginning of Aladdin is the Genie. That's true! That was the whole intention, originally. We even had that at the end of the movie, where he would reveal himself to be the Genie, and of course Robin did the voice of the peddler. Just through story changes and some editing, we lost the reveal at the end. So, that's an urban legend that actually is true.
This has long been the guess, that the Peddler and Genie are the same character, and it has always seemed especially plausible, given that both are voiced by the late, great Robin Williams. He only shows up for the very beginning, hocking his wares, but he’s got some great stuff to sell. For instance, if you’re in need of a hookah that can also brew you a fresh pot of coffee and slice up some French fries, he’s got one of those. And if you’re not interested in what he’s has to offer in that arena, he’s also got quite the fantastic yarn to spin for you.
The new version of Aladdin that just hit Blu-ray comes with a ton of extras that are sure to whip fans into a tizzy. There are deleted scenes, even a deleted song, and a few featurettes. As enticing as all of those are sure to be, however, the real gem in this package are the outtakes that capture Robin Williams recording his part. A few snippets have popped up online, and the footage shows the legendary comedian just going to down. He’s as manic and animated as you could imagine, and apparently he recorded in four-hour bursts, where he was just drenched in sweat by the end, so you just know there are some golden moments that never made it to the big screen.
