Director Confirms One Of the Most Popular Aladdin Fan Theories Is True!

There are a billion fan theories for nearly every popular movie ever made. Many of them are from fans who have poured over every last detail of a movie, determined to prove their theory correct. But, in the end, most of these fan theories turn out to be false.

But now, it's been proven that sometimes it's worth it because there is one Aladdin fan theory that turned out to actually be TRUE! The directors of the 1992 animated Disney classic have even confirmed it. So see: sometimes fans' hard work pays off!

Here it is: Our favorite genie, Genie, is in fact the Peddler at the beginning of the movie. You know, the one trying to sell us the magic lamp. This peddler seems to know the story behind the lamp, and he does sound suspiciously like Genie. Both characters were voiced by the late Robin Williams, so there’s some truth already to this theory. Taking it a step further, both characters suspiciously only have four fingers. So true or false, the Genie and the Peddler are the same person?

TRUE.

Talking to E! News, the directors of Aladdin, Ron Clements and John Musker, explained that while many theories about Aladdin are false, the theory that Genie and the Peddler are one in the same is spot-on.

“I saw something that speculates that the peddler at the beginning of Aladdin is the Genie. That’s true!” Clements explained. “That was the whole intention, originally. We even had that at the end of the movie, where he would reveal himself to be the Genie, and of course Robin did the voice of the peddler. Just through story changes and some editing, we lost the reveal at the end. So, that’s an urban legend that actually is true.”

The movie ends with Aladdin setting Genie free, but we don’t see what happens to the lamp. Genie could have easily packed it into his suitcase and taken it with him on his holiday. Then further on down the road, he masquerades as a Peddler, and spends his time telling stories about his old pal Al!