What Year Was Disney's Aladdin Released?

“Aladdin” was released in 1992 and was the highest grossing film of that year. The film was based on the popular tale of Aladdin and his lamp, with some of the characters being renamed and the plot being slightly changed. In the Walt Disney series, it is the 31st animated feature.

The original folktale of “Aladdin” told the story of a young boy who lived in a Chinese city who is asked by an sorcerer to locate a lamp from a cave. The Disney version is set in a fictional Arabian City called Agrabah rather than the Chinese city.

The Disney version opens with a peddler giving an introduction to the city of Agrabah. After the introduction has been given, the story then moves onto Jafar, who is the Sultan of Agrabah's royal Grand Vizier. Jafar wishes to have access to the Cave of Wonders so that he can obtain a magical oil lamp. He sends in a thief to obtain the lamp for him, but as the thief approaches the cave, he is refused entry. The Cave of Wonders, which is the giant head of a tiger, informs Jafar, his parrot Lago and the thief that only one may enter – the “Diamond in the Rough”. Despite the cave's request, Jafar tells the thief to enter anyway and just as the thief steps into the cave, it closes, trapping him inside. As the cave disappears, it tells Jafar to seek out the “Diamond in the Rough”.

The story then switches to the Sultan, who is trying to find a suitable husband for his daughter, Princess Jasmine, before her next birthday. Jasmine becomes unhappy at having this planned for her and decides to run away. As she approaches the streets of Agrabah, it becomes clear that she is not used to how the people there live, as she has only ever lived in luxury in the palace. Whilst out, she spots a young boy. Believing he is hungry, she gives him an apple from a stall. The stall owner informs her that she must pay for the apple, but Jasmine, who is not used to having to pay for things, is confused. Just as the stall owner is about to cut off her hand, she is saved by a young street urchin named Aladdin and his pet monkey and companion, Abu. Jasmine and Aladdin quickly become attracted to each other, but Aladdin is captured by guards that have been sent by Jafar, who previously used a machine that showed Aladdin to be the “Diamond in the Rough”.

With the “Diamond in the Rough” now in his hands, Jafar tells Jasmine that Aladdin has been sentenced to death, which upsets her. Jafar uses a disguise to help Aladdin escape the prison he has been thrown into. He takes Aladdin to the Cave of Wonders. As Aladdin is the “Diamond in the Rough”, he is allowed entry to the cave, but is told by the cave to “touch nothing but the lamp”. Whilst down there, Aladdin and Abu, who are used to being poor, are amazed by the amount of treasure in the cave. Aladdin finds a magic carpet and then locates the lamp. Whilst Aladdin is examining the lamp, Abu spots a giant gem and becomes drawn to it. As Aladdin turns round to talk to Abu, he is horrified to see that the monkey is reaching out for the gem and is just inches from touching it. As Aladdin shouts at Abu not to touch the gem, Abu grabs it, causing the cave to shout that Abu “has touched the forbidden treasure and will never again see the light of day”. The cave begins to collapse and Aladdin and Abu use the magic carpet to escape.

Just as Aladdin reaches the top of the cave, Jafar snatches the lamp and then attempts to attack Aladdin. He is bitten by Abu, who takes the lamp back. Aladdin, Abu and the carpet end up trapped in the cave. Aladdin rubs the lamp and a genie appears. The Genie explains that Aladdin has three wishes, but there are certain things that he cannot wish for. The Genie explains that he cannot kill anybody, make anyone fall in love with anyone else, or bring people back from the dead. Upon hearing that there are limitations to the wishes, Aladdin taunts the Genie. The Genie responds by telling Aladdin that he will get his wishes and then helps him escape the cave. Once outside, Aladdin begins to think about his wishes and the Genie hints that the escape from the cave used up one wish. Aladdin responds by saying that he did not actually wish to be freed and the Genie lets him off.

When Aladdin cannot decide what to wish for, he asks the Genie's opinion, to which the Genie responds that he would wish for freedom so that he could be released from the lamp. Aladdin promises to use his third wish to free the Genie.

Back at the palace, Jafar makes plans to hypnotise the Sultan into letting him marry Jasmine. He then plans to kill the Sultan and the princess. The Genie helps Aladdin to organise an introduction to his new identity as a prince. A celebration takes place, introducing Agrabah to Aladdin, who is now “Prince Ali”. Originally, Jasmine isn't interested and believes Ali is just like all the other potential husbands, but he later manages to win her by impressing her with the magic carpet. They go on a carpet ride and Jasmine realises that Ali is the same boy that she met at the marketplace. Aladdin quickly lies and tells her that he often dresses as a street urchin to get away from the pressures of palace life. She believes him and they later kiss.

Shortly afterwards, Aladdin is kidnapped by guards under Jafar's orders and thrown into the ocean. His hands brush the lamp, causing the Genie to appear. The Genie gets Aladdin to nod under the water so that he can get him to confirm that he wishes for the Genie to save him. This uses up Aladdin's second wish. Aladdin goes back to the palace and reveals Jafar's plans to kill the Sultan and Jasmine. Jafar works out that Prince Ali is in fact Aladdin. He flees and the Sultan then wishes to make Aladdin his successor. Aladdin is thrilled but also worried about the fact that he is not a real prince and that he has lied to Jasmine. He tells the Genie that he cannot wish him free, which angers the Genie. Jafar's parrot Lago later steals the lamp and takes it back to Jafar, who becomes the Genie's new master.

Jafar uses up his first wish, which is to become Sultan. He then uses a second wish and becomes a sorcerer. With his new powers, Jafar reveals Prince Ali's real identity, telling Jasmine that he is nothing more than the street urchin Aladdin, which reveals Aladdin's lies about dressing as a street urchin to escape the pressures of palace life. Jafar then sends Aladdin and Abu to a far away place where there are blizzards, but they manage to escape by using the carpet.

Back at the palace, Jafar and Lago have taken over. Jafar asks the Genie to make Jasmine fall in love with him and refuses to listen when the Genie tries to inform him that he cannot do this (the Genie is about to launch into the same speech he gave Aladdin back in the cave, when he explained that there are three things he does not have the power to do). Aladdin sneaks back into the palace and Jasmine, who spots him, pretends to be in love with Jafar to distract him from Aladdin's presence. Jafar, however, notices Aladdin's reflection in Jasmine's crown. He traps Jasmine, stops Abu, the carpet and Jasmine's pet tiger Rajah from attacking him and transforms into a snake to kill Aladdin.

When Jafar says that he is the most powerful being on earth, Aladdin responds by telling Jafar that he is not as powerful as the Genie. Jafar realises that Aladdin is right and decides to make his final wish. He tells the Genie that he wishes to become an all powerful Genie. The Genie grants Jafar his wish and Jafar says that he plans to rule the universe with his power. Aladdin then tells him that he cannot do this, as Genies are bound to their lamps and must serve their masters. Jafar realises he has made a mistake, but it is too late and he becomes trapped, along with Lago, inside his lamp. As Jafar and Lago argue inside the lamp, the Genie sends the lamp to the Cave of Wonders.

Aladdin, who once again becomes the Genie's master, surprises the Genie by using his third and final wish to free him. The Genie is delighted to be free from the lamp and goes to see the world. The Sultan decides to change the law so that his daughter can marry whomever she chooses. The film ends with Aladdin and Jasmine becoming engaged and celebrating their newfound happiness.