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Twenty-five years ago -- November 25, 1992, to be exact -- in the city of Agrabah, a street rat, an outspoken princess and an eager-to-please genie were at the center of another groundbreaking animated musical from Walt Disney Pictures.

Telling the story of a young man who falls in love with a princess and befriends a genie as he aspires for something more in his life, Aladdin quickly became a touchstone in Disney’s canon of animated films. Following the romance-driven The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast, the 1992 movie boasted a bigger sense of humor -- largely thanks to Robin Williams’ performance as Genie -- and more action.

Earning universal praise, Aladdin earned $217 million at the U.S. box office and maintains a 94 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. But like its predecessors, the soundtrack, with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman, propelled it to awards success, winning it two Academy...

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Disney can't use the copious amount of extra material Robin Williams recorded for Aladdin's Genie for 25 years.

It's little secret that the late Robin Williams left an awful lot of material on the cutting room floor when he was voicing the Genie Of The Lamp in Disney's Aladdin movies. Williams played the role in the first and third films, Aladdin and Aladdin And The King Of Thieves. We got to hear a very small proportion of what he recorded for the role.

However, in spite of the studio's plans for more Aladdin movies - primarily a live action prequel by the name of Genies - the studio won't be able to utilise the copious amounts of unaired Robin Williams footage it has in its possession.

This is a stipulation in Williams' will, the Sunday Times has reported. Under the terms of it, Disney can't use his...

It has been just over one year since legendary comedian Robin Williams passed away, and while some fans are still mourning this loss, some will rest easy by knowing that his voice and likeness won't be exploiting for quite some time. The Sunday Times reports that Disney had been planning a sequel to their 1992 animated classic Aladdin, where they planned on using Robin Williams recordings that never made it into the final movie for this sequel. As it turns out, the actor's will prevents anyone from exploiting his name, likeness or voice for the next 25 years, which lead the studio to scrap their plans. Here's what an unnamed former Disney executive had to say.

"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,...

One of Robin Williams’ most iconic roles was as the Genie in the 1992 Disney film Aladdin. For being a supporting role, he certainly commanding more than his fair share of attention (which got the Mouse House into some trouble when the character’s overt presence in advertising violated his original agreement to do the film for scale). Since the release of Aladdin, Williams became a Disney legend and lent his voice to the character later for the direct-to-video sequel Aladdin and the King of Thieves. Of course, Aladdin represents more than an iconic role for Williams. It was riding the wave of Disney’s second golden age of animation, followed by the record-breaking film The Lion King. For the DVD release in 2004, co-directors John Musker and Ron Clements sat down with co-producer Amy Pell to record a commentary of the film. So much has changed in the last ten years since this was recorded, though...

Disney has paid tribute to the late Robin Williams.

The actor, who famously voiced Genie in Disney's 1992 movie Aladdin, was found dead at the age of 63 yesterday (August 11).

"He was a true Disney Legend, a beloved member of our family, and he will be sorely missed." http://t.co/yNcHF3AVC5 http://t.co/lJnzbQuI6X

— Disney (@Disney) August 12, 2014

The film company posted a gif featuring Genie on Twitter, alongside the message: "He was a true Disney Legend, a beloved member of our family, and he will be sorely missed."

Disney chairman Bob Iger added: "We're deeply saddened by the loss of Robin Williams, a wonderfully gifted man who touched our hearts and never failed to make us laugh.

"An incredible actor and a comedic genius, Robin will always be remembered for bringing some of the world's favourite characters to life, from his zany alien on ABC's Mork & Mindy to...

Robin Williams has died at the age of 63.

The stand-up comedian and actor shot to fame appearing in television series Mork & Mindy between 1978 and 1982, before embarking on a movie career.

As friends, co-stars and fans from across the globe pay tribute to Williams, Digital Spy looks back at his career on the big screen:

1. Robin Williams made his film debut in 1977 comedy Can I Do It 'Till I Need Glasses?:

2. After his debut, he then starred in the lead role of Robert Altman's musical comedy adaptation of Popeye in 1980:

3. Robin Williams starred alongside Mary Beth Hurt, Glenn Close and John Lithgow in 1982's The World According To Garp:

4. In 1983, Robin Williams joined Walter Matthau in The Survivors:

5. His performance in 1984's Moscow on the Hudson earned him a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actor:

6. Robin Williams starred in Harold Ramis's Club Paradise with Peter O'Toole,...

The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride

Directed by Darrell Rooney

Written by Flip Kobler and Cindy Marcus

Starring Matthew Broderick, Neve Campbell, Jason Marsden, Nathan Lane, Suzanne Pleshette, Andy Dick, Moira Kelly

Is it enough for a movie to not be terrible? On the face of it, this question’s pretty easy to tackle. Any movie, no matter the intended audience or the genre, needs to be more than not awful. But I do wonder if my standards for certain movies should be lowered depending on the context. I bring this up, of course, in reference to direct-to-dvd sequels from the Walt Disney Company. It’s fair to say that no one expects these movies to be on the same level of quality as their predecessors. That’s why, for example, it’s so notable to remember that Toy Story 2 was originally going to be a direct-to-dvd sequel...

Warner has rounded up a new gang for A Christmas Story 2.

Warner has produced a sequel to the now classic 1983 comedy A Christmas Story, which regularly makes the top or close to top spot on Best Christmas Movie lists. A Christmas Story 2 brings up only one thought:

Really?

Back when DVD was still relatively new and studios realized people didn’t mind buying movies they hadn’t heard of as long they were familiar and on DVD (which didn’t have the stink VHS had always carried), we got a slew of these films: numerous Bring It Ons, American Pies and others.

Warner even created a division solely to produce these low-budget straight-to-dvd sequels, called Warner Premiere (which made A Christmas Story 2). And the studio wasn’t alone.

At first, Hollywood stuck with sequels of new theatrical hits, but soon they started digging into older titles, like The Scorpion King...

Steve Trenbirth, the Aussie who directed Disney's direct to video sequels "The Lion King II" and "Jungle Book II," has signed to direct the $25 million indie CGI feature "Trouble Down Under," based on a story by fellow Aussie Tony Findlay, who will also produce.

The $25 million animated feature, to be made in Sydney, Australia, will be produced by Fastlane Entertainment of Santa Monica, whose founder/CEO Frank Miniaci will be co-exec producer.

Voice cast includes Rove McManus, who is co-host of Valerie Bertinelli's upcoming CBS talk show; Cameron Daddo ("24"), Andrew Daddo, Ernie Dingo ("Crocodile Dundee") and Tony Bonner.

The screenplay, by Findlay and Howard Jackson, is set in the Australian outback, where a mob of African meerkats cause tension with the local kangaroo mob after a white wallaby shows up and causes confusion. 

The producers are said to be negotiating a U.S. distribution deal for the movie, which...

Liz Callaway is one of the top singer-actresses appearing on Broadway today. Audiences have seen her on Broadway in Merrily We Roll Along, Baby, Miss Saigon, The Three Musketeers, The Look of Love, and Cats, where she played the role of Grizabella (singing Memory) for five years. She has also starred in numerous off-Broadway shows, as well as the internationally acclaimed Sibling Revelry with her sister, Ann Hampton Callaway. Her numerous film and television credits include the singing voice of Anastasia in the award-winning animated film, Princess Jasmine in Aladdin and the King of Thieves, and Nala in The Lion King II. Liz is also an accomplished studio singer, and can be heard on more than 35 recordings, including her three solo albums. Her extensive concert career includes appearances at New York 's Carnegie Hall, in London, China, France, Iceland, Estonia,and just about every major city in the United States.

Liz Callaway is one of the top singer-actresses appearing on Broadway today. Audiences have seen her on Broadway in Merrily We Roll Along, Baby, Miss Saigon, The Three Musketeers, The Look of Love, and Cats, where she played the role of Grizabella (singing Memory) for five years. She has also starred in numerous off-Broadway shows, as well as the internationally acclaimed Sibling Revelry with her sister, Ann Hampton Callaway. Her numerous film and television credits include the singing voice of Anastasia in the award-winning animated film, Princess Jasmine in Aladdin and the King of Thieves, and Nala in The Lion King II. Liz is also an accomplished studio singer, and can be heard on more than 35 recordings, including her three solo albums. Her extensive concert career includes appearances at New York 's Carnegie Hall, in London, China, France, Iceland, Estonia,and just about every major city in the United States.