The animated Iago and Jafar having a moment. Image : Disney

After early reports that Jafar’s mischievous bird companion Iago was not going to be part of Disney’s upcoming live-action adaptation of Aladdin from director Guy Ritchie, it now appears as if that’s very much not the case. Because Alan Tudyk has just been revealed to be playing the role.


Disney has announced that Firefly and Doom Patrol’s Tudyk will be lending his vocal talents to Iago, making this the second time he’s voiced an animated bird character following his role as Hei Hei in Moana.

One imagines that Iago will be a tad more articulate than Hei Hei was, especially given the role he plays in Jafar’s plot to get his hands on Aladdin’s magic lamp. It’ll also be interesting to see if the live-action film will indeed feature a moment where Iago’s transformed into what appears to be a gargantuan bird monster, seen briefly in the latest trailer.


Abu and Aladdin running from...something. Image : Disney

Aladdin, starring Mena Massoud, Naomi Scott, Marwan Kenzari, and Will Smith, hits theaters May 24.

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