Aladdin and the King of Thieves is a 1996 American direct-to-video animated musical fantasy adventure film produced by Walt Disney Television Animation. It is the second sequel to Disney's 1992 animated feature film Aladdin, and serves as the final chapter and installment of the Arabian Nights-inspired Disney franchise beginning with the first film, and continuing with its first direct-to-video sequel The Return of Jafar and the animated television series.
The film takes place after the third season of the television series and is inspired by the tale Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves from One Thousand and One Nights, replacing Ali Baba with Aladdin, and for the first time since the original Aladdin, the film has a completely new soundtrack instead of the rearranged music from the original film for The Return of Jafar and the series. This film also marks the return of actor Robin Williams, reprising his role as Genie from the first film and not by Dan Castellaneta, who voiced him in the second film, the series, and other media afterwards.
Though this film serves as the series finale of the television series, the characters also appear in a 1999 crossover episode of the animated series Hercules, titled "Hercules and the Arabian Night", as well as the segment More Than a Peacock Princess from the 2007 direct-to-video film Disney Princess Enchanted Tales: Follow Your Dreams, both of them after this plot. The film received mixed to negative reviews, although it was deemed an improvement over The Return of Jafar.
Plot
At Agrabah, Aladdin and Princess Jasmine prepare to get married. During the ceremony, the legendary Forty Thieves appear, trying to steal a magical staff. After driving them off, Aladdin and his friends discover the Oracle, a woman within the staff that can answer a single question about absolutely anything to any individual. She hints to Aladdin that all his questions can be answered by his father, who is alive still, much to everyone's surprise. According to her, Aladdin's father is with the Forty Thieves, "trapped within their world".
Aladdin, along with Abu, Iago and Carpet, tracks the thieves and stows away into their hideout, Mount Sesame. There, he discovers that his father Cassim is actually the King of Thieves, their leader. The two have a heartfelt reunion before Cassim's chief subordinate Sa'luk tries to punish Aladdin for infiltrating in their hideout. Cassim, however, suggests that Aladdin instead face the initiation ritual known as "the Challenge": if he defeats another one of the Forty Thieves, he can take their place. Aladdin defeats Sa'luk and is welcomed into the band. Cassim then reveals why he left his wife and son: to find the Hand of Midas, an artifact that can transform anything it touches into gold. Cassim believed that, with it, he could return to his family and get them out of poverty. With the staff, he could question the oracle as to the precise whereabouts of the artifact. Aladdin convinces Cassim to return with him to Agrabah to live an honest life. Initially hesitant, Cassim agrees after realizing that the wedding can be his last chance to get the Oracle.
For a while, Cassim is glad to spend quality time with Aladdin and his friends. However, he decides to carry on his original scheme with Iago as his new henchman. Meanwhile, Sa'luk travels to Agrabah. There, he sells out his fellow thieves by telling Razoul, the Captain of Agrabah's Royal Guard, the password to their hideout in exchange for immunity from prosecution. After all but seven of the thieves are captured, Razoul learns that Aladdin is one of the forty, and his father Cassim is the King himself. While attempting to steal the Oracle, Cassim and Iago are captured by the royal guards, and Razoul reveals to the Sultan that Cassim is the King of Thieves. The Sultan has Cassim and Iago imprisoned for life. Aladdin frees them, but is discovered by Razoul. Despite being a criminal, Aladdin returns to the palace to take responsibility for his actions. The Sultan makes ready to punish Aladdin, but Genie and Jasmine come to his defense, stating that all he wanted was to give his father a second chance. Understanding this, The Sultan accepts Aladdin's apology and resumes preparations for the wedding.