Return of Jafar debunked: Fake Aladdin sequel explained

While Aladdin fans have been led to believe a sequel to the live-action remake is happening in 2025, they’re mistaken: The Return of Jafar isn’t real, so here’s what you should know.

Guy Ritchie’s live-action Aladdin became one of the highest-grossing movies of all time after its release in 2019, but updates on its sequel have been few and far between.

Well, that’s unless you follow YODA BBY ABY on Facebook, which recently revealed the first poster for The Return of Jafar, an adaptation of the original direct-to-video sequel. There’s just one problem: it’s completely made up, so don’t get too excited.

The page is notorious for sharing fake movie news, such as The Golden Girls reboot and Bryan Cranston’s Heisenberg movie — and this is no exception, duping thousands of gullible people once more.

YODA BBY ABY: Facebook

Alongside the poster, the caption reads: “Float into a world of enchantment with Disney’s Aladdin: The Return of Jafar, coming February 2025! Rejoin Aladdin and his friends for another thrilling adventure in Agrabah, with Will Smith bringing his charismatic magic back as the Genie. This time, they face their greatest challenge yet as the cunning Jafar seeks revenge in a spectacular showdown that promises to captivate audiences of all ages.”

If a real Aladdin sequel ever comes to fruition, don’t expect it to remake The Return of Jafar or King of Thieves. According to producer Dan Lin, it’ll be an original story. “We’re talking about different storylines. What we’re talking about is not going to be a direct remake of any sequel that’s come out, the same way that our movie was not a direct remake of the first movie,” he previously told ScreenRant.

Its lead star Mena Massoud last spoke about a possible follow-up in late 2023, candidly admitting: “I don’t have any updates… it’s been six years now since we shot and wrapped the project. To me, at a certain point, life just goes on. I’m sure they have their reasons.”

In the meantime, you can find out what other new movies you should be streaming in April 2024.