Aladdin Happens in the Future
Obviously, lots of these Disney theories can easily be debunked. For example, Aladdin is full of pop culture references because it starred Robin Williams, who was known for his fast improvisational skills. But, if you want to make sense of this within the Disney universe, there’s a theory for that. This theory argues that Aladdin isn’t set in the past, but way into the future. This explains Genie’s references to celebs like Robert De Niro, Jack Nicholson, and Arnold Schwarzenegger.