While there was (not surprisingly) enough extra material from Robin Williams’ recording sessions from his two Aladdin films to make a proposed fourth film in the franchise, the late actor’s will is going to prevent that from happening. In a statement from an unnamed Disney executive, it sounds as if the studio is a bit bitter about it:
“When he was on form, the hyperactive motormouth we love from Good Morning Vietnam, Hook, Dead Poets Society and Mrs Doubtfire, Robin was making 30 jokes a minute. Now, because he insisted on a final say on such material, [the jokes] will remain in the vaults.”
Williams had some legal issues with Disney and Aladdin in the past, when the studio violated his contract by using his voice in McDonald’s merchandise tie-in ads, but they resolved their issues, and Williams returned to the Genie role for the third Aladdin film, The King of Thieves (he was replaced for the second film, Return of Jafar, by The Simpsons’ Dan Castellaneta, who also voiced the Genie in the Aladdin animated series). However, this legal blockade, which prevents them from using his name, taped performances or voice recordings for 25 years after his death. was not a spiteful move on Williams’ part, but rather a way to protects the actor’s widow, Susan, and three children, Zak, Zelda and Cody, from incurring estate penalties due to his posthumous earnings.
We reported a while back that Disney was planning on making a live action Aladdin prequel, and we’d like to go on record by saying that at any Aladdin sequel, prequel, live action adaption, or what ever, with out Williams is a bad idea. And simply using his outtakes in a new film would just be disrespectful. However, it would be incredible to eventually see the recording sessions with Williams’ outtakes.