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Will Smith, Disney team up with Make-A-Wish for #FriendLikeMe challenge ahead of 'Aladdin' release

Disney will donate up to $1 million to the Make-A-Wish foundation through the challenge.
Credit: Disney
Aladdin (Mena Massoud) meets the larger-than-life blue Genie (Will Smith) in Disney’s live-action adaptation ALADDIN, directed by Guy Ritchie.

The Walt Disney company is teaming up with the Make-A-Wish foundation to celebrate the May release of the upcoming film "Aladdin."

The #FriendLikeMe challenge launched on Monday, April 30. Tickets for "Aladdin" also went on sale that day. Through the challenge, Disney will donate $5 to the Make-A-Wish foundation every time someone posts on Twitter or Instagram using the #FriendLikeMe hashtag. The company will donate up to $1 million to the cause.

“The release of ‘Aladdin’ presents an authentic opportunity to connect the film’s powerful theme of wish-granting to the wonderful work Make-A-Wish does in support of children dealing with serious illnesses around the world,” said Elissa Margolis, senior vice president, Enterprise Social Responsibility for The Walt Disney Company. “Wishes are all about hope and we’re so glad to be able to continue our work with Make-A-Wish and invite fans to join us in helping grant more wishes that will bring hope into the lives of deserving kids and their families.” 

The challenge is named after the Genie's signature song. Will Smith will play the Genie in the upcoming film, where he grants Aladdin wishes. In a promotional video Smith explains why Disney is getting in on the wish-granting too.

"A wish can give the kid to give a kid the strength they need to fight their critical illness," "Where there's a wish, there's a way." 

Aladdin comes out in theaters May 24. 

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