Hot Jafar Is About To Test Our Morality

It was only a few weeks ago that I wrote about the announcement of the cast of the upcoming live-action version of Aladdin. Mena Massoud and Naomi Scott will be our Aladdin and Jasmine, and Disney officially confirmed what we already knew- that Will Smith will play Genie. Mena and Naomi are both adorable and look like they’ll be great, and a lot of people are wary about Will Smith, which really has nothing to do with him, and is only because Robin Williams was so iconic in the role. The latest bit of casting news, announced last week, is throwing a whole new, but this time hilarious, wrench into the movie. The actor who will play the villainous Jafar was announced, and as you can imagine, the first thing everyone noticed about him is that he’s really damn good looking.

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I was not expecting them to go this route. His name is Marwan Kenzari, and he’s a Dutch-Tunisian actor whose biggest projects so far have been this year’s The Promise and The Mummy, and the upcoming Murder on the Orient Express. After Aladdin I’m sure he’ll also be starring in many, many dreams.

As we know from the Sherlock Holmes films, and The Man from U.N.C.L.E., director Guy Ritchie has good taste in men, and he’s continued that winning streak here in a big way. Hey Guy, if you want to play matchmaker for me I will not turn you down. Because you’ve done it again.

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I may actually be jealous of Iago. Imagine perching yourself on those strong shoulders. How are we supposed to root against Jafar in this version when instead of being creepy, we all find him kind of alluring. It’s just a fact that pretty people get away with things that other people don’t. Would we have been obsessed with Twilight for years if Edward Cullen looked like Nosferatu instead of a handsome teenage boy? Doubtful. Do you think there would be so many crazy think pieces talking about how conflicted and tortured Loki is as a character if Tom Hiddleston wasn’t so good looking? There would not. I’ve caught myself thinking those things, and I know how insane it is.

One of the biggest ways Jafar tries to gain power in Aladdin is hypnotizing Jasmine’s father into arranging a marriage between him and Jasmine so that Jafar can then kill his new wife and father-in-law and become the sultan himself. As a little girl I was always horrified, because he was old and gross. But this time around, I have a feeling at least some of the audience is going to be like “girl, get it.” Not that we won’t love Aladdin…but still.

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The closest animated Jafar comes to being attractive is when he becomes a genie for a hot second and busts out with those eight pack abs.

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This is the kind of thing the internet is the best at, and the reactions to the brand new hot Jafar did not disappoint. A sampling:

Hot Jafar is saving 2017. pic.twitter.com/IdjrQ4q1dW

— Kevin Fallon (@kpfallon) August 4, 2017

Me as a kid: Jafar is so creepy and weird
Me in 2017: Jafar is extremely hot I hope he beats Aladdin at the end

— wally brando ? (@cheryltunts) August 4, 2017

jasmine’s gonna be like “lmao die in an hourglass for all i care” pic.twitter.com/hW7bgbvwHQ

— alexis nedd (@alexisthenedd) August 4, 2017

This movie release is going to be a lot of fun.

Even though there’s no official release date for Aladdin yet, we’re already counting down the days.