With the recent home video release of “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle”, it’s high past time to talk about the next Jumanji sequel!
Before we do that, let’s be candid, Jumanji 2 (which will be used as the shorthand from here on out) was an unexpected hit that managed to not only go toe to toe with “The Last Jedi” in terms of moolah, but managed to creatively continue the story from 1995’s original, which starred the late great Robin Williams, while respecting it.
Plot-wise, all you need to know is that the original ended with the board game thrown in the river back in 1995, and it ends up on a beach, before being found and transforming into a game console to ensnare its next victim. Yes, that eerie drum beat does evoke a horror movie element, if just vaguely.
While the original 1995 flick brought the jungle into the real world, the long-in-development sequel took a modern spin, and put the teens into its world in the form of a video game. Honestly, dropping much of the more frightening elements that scared the heck out of children (like huge spiders) in favour of upping the comedy and action gave it a much wider family appeal.
Welcome To The Jungle
The sequel managed to defy expectations because it was well written, its cast was pitch perfect, it was consistently hilarious, and was one of the greatest movies centred on the video game premise, ever.
Fresh and Modern, but Done Already
A sidebar would be that the premise appears, at least to this blogger, to be inspired from an award winning episode of the still-going classic British Sci-fi comedy “Red Dwarf”.
That episode was entitled “Gunman of the Apocalypse”, from its 6th season way back in 1993! In that classic episode, three members of the crew have to go into the mind of their Mechanoid shipmate Kryten to save him (and themselves, by extension) from a virus that is making the ship hurtle towards a sun. They do this by using their artificial reality machine and taking on video game character personas that hilariously don’t exactly jive with their real-world sensibilities. Taking on Wild West characters and names, the inept cat became an expert six shooter managing trick shots, the cowardly Rimmer became a confident fist-fighting pro, and the drunk slob Lister gained the ability to throw knives with extreme precision.
Jumanji took all this to the next level by playing with gender and age swaps, and adding multiple special powers, weaknesses and 3 lives each. In many ways, it also directly channeled another Jack Black flick, 2008’s “Tropic Thunder”, specifically Robert Downey Jr.’s role, that had him “play a dude playin’ the dude, disguised as another dude” to great comedic effect (and yes, that took place in a jungle as well).
So now that we covered where the inspiration seems to have flowed from, while modernising the premise to video games from board games, the question is…where does the franchise go next?
It’s a good question as the new film ends without the teens throwing the game away, but seemingly destroying it. Though, if you stay until the end of the credits you do hear the drum again… but it felt more like a hat tip than a sneak peak.
Next Time Jumanji Could Appear As A Smart Phone
The main point is that another Jumanji is happening, as assuredly as the sun will rise and set. It made a billion dollars, and crushed Star Wars in several regions. Sure, it may not have been something Sony considered while making the new flick, but that huge box office draw has assured it continued franchise staying power.
In terms of what to expect, the latest word is that the game avatars and the actors who play them (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart and Karen Gillan) are said to be returning! So the rumour floating around is that new real-world characters may enter the game and allow for different character swap hi-jinx, such as Karen Gillan’s guess that she could potentially play an old man, rather than a nerdy unsure teen girl. Regardless, the cast nailed everything and their return would be very welcome.
While it seems like a stretch for the third entry in the franchise to come off as equally or more novel than the surprise hit that the second was, as long as they can keep the focus on solid laughs and character development mixed with adventure, it should be a good time. Compared to other recent comedies, Jumanji 2 impressed by never going down the rabbit hole of crass comedy, like fart jokes, and for that alone it deserves to continue telling stories. Cake that makes Kevin Hart explode will always be way funnier!
Another rumour is that the third entry would use a cell phone as the modern means to trap gamers. That actually makes a lot of sense, but having it again take place in a video game world rather than the real world does present continued possibilities. Jumanji 2 felt like it could have been expanded to more of the world’s map and challenges. Overall, it was so fun that it felt like it was over too quickly. In that way, even a straight up continuation for the existing plot and game plot could put smiles on the faces of viewers.
Let’s just hope Jumanji 3 can still be fresh before entries 4,5,6… 23 and onward can set in the mandatory franchise fatigue that Hollywood always demands!
8:09;
