The Genie Returns for Disney's 100th Anniversary

In observance of Disney's 100th anniversary, the beloved character, The Genie, has made a comeback in the short film Once Upon A Studio. To bring the distinctive voice of Robin Williams back to life despite his passing in 2014, Disney utilized archived voice recordings from the original Aladdin film. This feat was accomplished with the approval of Williams' estate, shared Bradford Simonsen, the producer of the project, in his interview with Variety.

The whimsicality of Williams had made the character a crowd favorite when Aladdin was first released in 1992, hence his inclusion in the anniversary tribute was essential. Set in Disney's studios after hours, the film breathes life into 543 classic Disney characters, using a blend of live-action footage, hand-drawn, and CGI animation. These characters, including the likes of Mickey Mouse, Elsa and Anna from Frozen, Winnie the Pooh with his friends, and Peter Pan, step out of their art frames and engage in lively antics, reflecting on Disney's animated history.

The production team adopted a meticulous technique to ensure that the characters maintain their original charm as they step out of their frames. "We used our animation research library where we pulled out model sheets for the animators to work from," explained Simonsen. The film, which was unveiled on ABC on October 15, can be viewed on Disney+ from October 16.