The Jumanji adventure is gearing up for a thrilling comeback with production set to kick off this November in Los Angeles. Sony is ready to roll the dice on the newest sequel in the hugely popular franchise, bringing back fan-favorite stars alongside fresh faces. But here's where it gets controversial—will this new chapter keep the magic alive or just be another reboot chasing past glory?
Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, and Karen Gillan are all reprising their iconic roles, with Jake Kasdan returning to the director's chair, ensuring continuity in style and spirit. Joining this powerhouse cast is Brittany O’Grady, known for her standout role in the first season of Mike White’s acclaimed HBO series, The White Lotus. Another intriguing newcomer is Burn Gorman, recognized from films like Beetlejuice and The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, adding fresh talent to the mix.
Behind the scenes, the project is spearheaded by producers Matt Tolmach, Dwayne Johnson, Dany Garcia, Hiram Garcia, and Jake Kasdan. Not much about the plot has been revealed yet, keeping fans on the edge waiting for clues, but the script comes from the hands of writers Jeff Pinkner and Scott Rosenberg.
For those unfamiliar, Jumanji originated from a 1981 picture book by Chris Van Allsburg about a magical board game that brings wild adventures to life. This inspired the beloved 1995 film featuring Robin Williams. However, the franchise received a modern reboot in 2017 with Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. The update transformed the magical board game into a video game, incorporating the popular body-switching trope, where four teenagers become avatars played by Johnson and his co-stars. This film grossed nearly $963 million worldwide, effectively relaunching the franchise into a blockbuster series. Its 2019 sequel, titled Jumanji: The Next Level, also proved successful, pulling in $800 million globally.
Now, depending on how you look at it, this new movie could be considered the fourth installment in the overall Jumanji saga—connecting back to the original 1995 film—or the third in the Johnson-led reboot series. Fans of the earlier films will be pleased to know that Alex Wolff, Madison Iseman, Ser’Darius Blaine, and Morgan Turner, who portrayed the real-life characters in previous entries, are expected to return. Plus, Awkwafina, who appeared in 2019's sequel, is also set to reprise her role. Yet, the specific characters Brittany O’Grady and Burn Gorman will play remain a mystery.
On the rise, Brittany O’Grady has been making waves beyond Jumanji. Besides her breakout TV role in The White Lotus, she stars in Kathryn Bigelow’s much-anticipated dramatic film, A House of Dynamite, set to release on Netflix on October 24. Last year, she appeared in It’s What’s Inside, an indie film that became the biggest deal at Sundance, which also found a home on Netflix. This year, she shared the screen with Daisy Ridley in Sometimes I Think About Dying and with Kevin Bacon in The Best You Can, selected for Tribeca Film Festival. Adding to her diverse portfolio, O’Grady played opposite Christoph Waltz in Amazon’s stylish thriller The Consultant. She is professionally represented by CAA and Suskin/Karshan Management.
Burn Gorman, bringing his own impressive credentials, is represented by Verve and Management 360.
Is this upcoming Jumanji film poised to recapture the original’s charm while pushing the story forward, or is it merely riding the coattails of past successes? What do you think about bringing new talent into such a beloved franchise? Share your thoughts below—let’s get the conversation rolling!
