Zayn Malik fans are calling for him to be the lead in the new Aladdin film after calling for a “minute of silence” to “appreciate” his cover of A Whole New World.
Malik covered the classic Disney song with Zhavia Ward, to accompany the live-action remake starring Naomi Scott and Will Smith.
On hearing the “magical” song, some fans are now wishing Malik had been cast as the lead character in place of Mena Massoud, branding it a “missed opportunity”.
One wrote: “The way that Zayn Malik sang a whole new world makes me wish he was Aladdin in the movie.”
Another wrote: “Can we take a moment of silence to appreciate Zayn Malik’s take on A Whole New World for Aladdin please?”
A third said: “Zayn Malik not playing Aladdin gotta be the biggest missed opportunity of all time.”
Hours after its release, the video for the track had racked up over 3 million views and was trending number 1 on YouTube.
The track dropped after the stars of Guy Ritchie’s remake stepped out on the “magic carpet” in London for the film’s premiere.
Smith, who plays the role of the Genie, a part made famous by late actor and comedian Robin Williams, said he found it “stressful” to step into his shoes at first.
“It was deeply stressful and troubling first thinking about that,” Smith said. "What Robin Williams did with the Genie was revolutionary in animation. What Robin Williams did is essentially infuse the character with his stand-up persona.”
Aladdin will be released worldwide on May 24
