“A game for those who seek to find, a way to leave their world behind.”
Sound familiar? It should. It’s the crux of Chris Van Allsburg’s adventure romp, Jumanji, the 1981 novel that inspired a bona fide cult classic in the form of Joe Johnston’s 1995 adaptation. Starring the young Kirsten Dunst, Bradley Pierce, Bonnie Hunt and the late, great Robin Williams as Alan Parrish, Jumanji was an overnight success – with audiences, at least – and even went on to become the year’s 10th highest-grossing movie.
Fast forward to now and Sony Pictures is on the verge of unleashing its sequel, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. Of course, this is by no means the first time that Hollywood has rolled the dice on a Jumanji sequel; that title belongs to Zathura: A Space Adventure, a spiritual successor also mined from the pages of a Van Allsburg novel. With Welcome to the Jungle, it’s a completely different story. The game has changed, but the legend continues, as today’s all-new TV spot warns.
Even at 30 seconds in length, Jumanji crams a staggering amount of action into this brand new clip, as above you’ll find Dwayne Johnson’s hulking, “smoldering” Dr. Bravestone brandishing a flamethrower, Karen Gillan (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2) dealing with jungle nasties, and Jack Black caught up in one of the film’s many traps. Toss in a host of wildlife and the sound of tribal drums and you have a near-perfect promo for Sony’s Jumanji sequel. But will it be worth the 20-year wait?
Sandwiched in between Pitch Perfect 3 and a little-known indie called Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Jake Kasdan’s Jumanji reboot faces a tall order if it’s to achieve box office success. Granted, the star-studded actioner would have been with us already had it not been for Sony’s reshuffling, so it’ll be fascinating to see whether the studio’s gamble pays off in three months’ time.
Published: Sep 18, 2017 03:58 pm