The “first look” at the live-action Aladdin remake that bowed on EW Wednesday received mixed reviews, with many underwhelmed by, among other things, genie actor Will Smith, who looks a bit too much like comic legend Sinbad. But one aspect was rapturously received: The dude who plays villain Jafar is an unexpected thirst trap.
This name is Marwan Kenzari, a Turkish-Dutch actor who has appeared in the little-liked (but secretly not terrible) Ben-Hur remake, the little-liked (and un-secretly pretty terrible) attempted reboot of The Mummy, and last year’s overwhelmingly meh revival of Murder on the Orient Express. Kenzari scored the role in part because this Aladdin is trying to avoid “white-washing,” which explains the proudly and mostly non-white cast, including leads Mena Massoud and Naomi Scott.
The only problem? Kenzari’s pretty much factual hotness complicates what should be a simple case of good versus evil. The ’92 Jafar was vaguely reminiscent of Vincent Price, complete with a sinister pencil-thin mustache. This one is ripped and does a mean Blue Steel. Why would Scott’s Jasmine not want to marry a guy with these abs, even if they’re attached to someone scheming his way to the throne?
In any case, the internet already knew about Kenzari, but this was the first time they’d seen him costumed. Even fully-clothed was too much for some.
https://twitter.com/meanielyn/status/1075535395490656257
the sultan [hypnotized]:jasmine, you will wed jafar becaus—
jasmine: ok yes i am fine with this pic.twitter.com/KKHbEgLFyr
— David Mack (@davidmackau) December 19, 2018
hot jafar … we WILL be rooting for evil pic.twitter.com/Z1RTGK4pkX
— feral (@ncrmalpeople) December 19, 2018
Me @ aladdin vs me @ jafar pic.twitter.com/FE33YUvbeK
— Lue (@Iueminous) December 19, 2018
https://twitter.com/TonyxTiger/status/1075602999551000576
https://twitter.com/promawhatup/status/1075408223602176005
Wow Jafar is really hot now, I'm glad Disney keeps catering to trashy villain fuckers like me
— 💭 ɹǝlʎʞs 🦋 (@theselittlefics) December 19, 2018
https://twitter.com/DanaSchwartzzz/status/1075407862065557505
https://twitter.com/DanaSchwartzzz/status/1075477468453040128
https://twitter.com/blackmon/status/1075400451712012288
https://twitter.com/ReignOfApril/status/1075513118992805889
The only take I have, and the only take I will likely ever have about the Aladdin remake is that Jasmine's entire arc must be a mistake because she outta be down to clown this Jafar from scene 1 pic.twitter.com/r5SyMm0oXR
— alexis nedd thinks unions are neat 🎮 💚 (@alexisthenedd) December 19, 2018
I am reminded of a Cecil B. DeMille anecdote.
He replaced George Sanders with Edward G. Robinson in THE TEN COMMANDMENTS when his daughter's reaction to Sanders was some variation of "Yum!"
(Yum was not what he was looking for.) https://t.co/tPYXhPho5D
— Movies Silently (@MoviesSilently) December 20, 2018