Disney's live action Aladdin will be directed by Guy Ritchie

A scene from Disney's 1992 feature film, Aladdin.

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking...Lamps?

Disney's forthcoming Aladdin, a continuation of the studio's trend for remaking its animated classics as live action blockbusters, could be directed by Guy Ritchie, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The British filmmaker, whose most recent movie was The Man from U.N.C.L.E., is reportedly in talks to take on the project.

Many fans have reacted to the news with mild bemusement. Ritchie is known primarily for his crime thrillers (such as Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Revolver) and for his Robert Downey Jr Sherlock Holmes movies, and consequently doesn't seem like the most obvious candidate for a fantastical Disney adaptation.

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yup thats me. you're probably wondering how i ended up in this situation #Aladdin #GuyRitchie pic.twitter.com/u3t5kjNYYg

— Alberto Campos (@SirChampsBlanc) October 10, 2016

"Live action Aladdin to be directed by Guy Ritchie" pic.twitter.com/3sptuekk8C

— Yibo Patrol (@Coolguyreiner) October 10, 2016

The remake will be scripted by John August, the screenwriter behind the Tim Burton movies Corpse Bride, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Big Fish, and will reportedly be fairly faithful to the 1992 original, utilising many elements of the animated film. It is also said to tell the story in a non-linear way (a hallmark of some of Ritchie's work).

There's been no news as yet on casting, but the question of who might take on the role of the genie, a part made iconic by the late Robin Williams, remains a contentious one.

Disney's live action Jungle Book, which used computer animation to place animal characters such as Baloo, Bagheera and Shere Khan alongside human star Neel Sethi (Mowgli), was released earlier this year.

A Beauty and the Beast adaptation starring Emma Watson and Dan Stevens is heading to cinemas in March 2017, and the studio also recently confirmed that a live action Lion King movie is in the works.