Last night, the late Robin Williams returned to a role that made him made him a Disney legend and continues to capture imaginations everywhere. That's right, Genie is back!
Disney fans were in for a treat during The Wonderful World of Disney: Disney’s 100th Anniversary Celebration on ABC this past Sunday. The highlight was the premiere of Once Upon a Studio, a short film that brilliantly brought together some of Disney's most treasured characters.
What captured everyone's attention was the inclusion of Robin Williams' renowned character, Genie, from the 90s animated sensation Aladdin.
Given that the legendary Williams tragically passed away in 2014, there were immediate speculations about Disney resorting to AI technology to revive the character and artificially recreate Williams' voice. Fortunately, this was not the case.
Setting the record straight, Yvett Merino, the film's producer, clarified to Polygon that AI wasn't employed in the creation of Genie's sequence.
"We used direct lines from past recordings," she revealed, explaining how previous takes from Williams' time allowed for the seamless integration of Genie into the new film. Check out the trailer for the short below:
The production team also went above and beyond by coordinating with the late actor's estate. "It was so important to us to share our earliest version of the short with Robin’s team," Merino emphasized, acknowledging the profound impact Aladdin and Robin’s portrayal of the Genie of the Lamp had on many at Disney Animation.
The nostalgia hit harder when she revealed another delightful tidbit: "Eric Goldberg, who animated Genie for the [original] feature film, did the animation here as well."
But despite the amazing return, Once Upon a Studio wasn't just about Genie. After Walt Disney Animation Chief Creative Officer Jennifer Lee remarked how "Genie is such an important character to so many of us", the film's director, Dan Abraham, also highlighted other Disney characters that were integral to the creation of the short - such as Cinderella, Stitch, and Robin Hood.
The essence of animation, according to Merino, is akin to forging a bond. "When you animate a character, you develop a relationship with that character, and you know who that character is," she expressed.
Interestingly, while the world is increasingly pivoting towards AI, Disney animation remains staunchly traditional, at least for now.
Producer Brad Simonsen declared: "We're a flat no on [AI] right now. Matter of fact, you’re not allowed to use AI in the building." He underscored the importance of the human touch, especially when it came to bringing back the original animators for the characters, making the experience authentic and keeping the characters consistent.
The team had one goal in mind: to rekindle the old Disney magic. And as Simonsen fondly recalled: "We storyboarded the moment out and we said, 'OK, Eric, do your Eric Goldberg thing and bring the magic.' And then he did."
As a person who grew up in the 90s with Aladdin on VHS, I think I speak for a lot of people when I say how amazing it was to once again hear Williams' voice behind the iconic character.
And don't worry if you missed the premiere last night, Once Upon a Studio is now available to watch on Disney+.