Prince Ali has got some competition.
Billy Magnussen is joining Disney’s live-action Aladdin as Prince Anders.
The Guy Ritchie-directed movie based on the 1992 animated pic will star relative newcomer Mena Massoud as the street rat turned prince. Power Rangers actress Naomi Scott will play Princess Jasmine, with Marwan Kenzari (Murder on the Orient Express) portraying the villain Jafar and Will Smith playing Genie.
Magnussen will take on the new role created for the movie musical, with all other character details remaining buried in the Cave of Wonders. He joins Saturday Night Live alum Nasim Pedrad, who is set to play the original character Mara, a handmaiden and friend to Jasmine.
John August (Big Fish, Corpse Bride) penned the script. Dan Lin, who worked with Ritchie on Sherlock Holmes, is producing through his Lin Pictures banner.
Magnussen has some experience playing a Disney prince. The Tony nominee appeared in Rob Marshall’s Into the Woods as Rapunzel’s prince, performing the duet “Agony” with Chris Pine.
The actor was last seen in the Aubrey Plaza indie Ingrid Goes West, and appeared in Steven Spielberg’s Bridge of Spies and Adam McKay’s The Big Short. Magnussen’s small-screen work includes Netflix’s Black Mirror, Epix’s Get Shorty and FX’s The People v. O.J. Simpson, in which he played Kato Kaelin.
Up next, Magnussen will star opposite Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams in the New Line comedy Game Night. He is repped by WME, Anonymous, BRS-Gage and Sloane Offer.
