Tag Archives: Dwayne Johnson

Release Date Set for Jumanji 3

<img style="max-width: 100%;" src="https://images-production.freetls.fastly.net/uploads/photos/file/271350/jumanji-dwayne-johnson.jpg?auto=compress&crop=top&fit=max&q=55&w=750%5D(Source: Life & Style)Sony has officially confirmed that Jumanji 3 will be released on December 13, 2019. <a href=" data-mce-src="https://images-production.freetls.fastly.net/uploads/photos/file/271350/jumanji-dwayne-johnson.jpg?auto=compress&crop=top&fit=max&q=55&w=750%5D(Source: Life & Style)Sony has officially confirmed that Jumanji 3 will be released on December 13, 2019.

Sony has officially confirmed that Jumanji 3 will be released on December 13, 2019.

Variety revealed that Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, and Karen Gillen will all reprise their roles. Director Jake Kasdan and producer Matt Tolmach will be on board, too.


(Spoiler warning: Details about the first two Jumanji films are discussed below.)

It will be interesting to see how Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle’s central characters will return to the big screen again considering that the video game was destroyed at the end of the last film. Digital Spy points out that it’s one of the few movies that has an ending that doesn’t set up the next installment.

Since Johnson, Black, Hart, and Gillen play avatars inside Jumanji, the new story will have to figure out how the next film will play out. One theory is that they could play their actual characters who have to stop the Jumanji game wreaking havoc in the real world.


Done the right way this could actually lead to many more creative possibilities. And let’s not forget that Jon Favreau’s Zathura is a spin-off of the Jumanji franchise as well. It would certainly be interesting to see those two insane worlds collide.

Another aspect that could be explored in the new film is the motivation behind the game aside from simply causing anarchy. The next installment could finally explain where the game originated from; who or what made it; and why it was unleashed on the world. These are probably questions that fans have been wondering about ever since the first movie came out in 1995. The original Jumanji was a hit that garnered a huge following when it went to video and later television. Collider credits some of the success of the adventure film to Robin Williams’s performance. The original also broke new ground with its special effects, which were ahead of their time.


The movie’s fun-loving appeal translated to the latest edition with Dwayne Johnson now fronting the franchise. This soon led to the film branching out into a number of different ventures to build upon the hype machine surrounding one of this year’s biggest blockbusters. Among the many iconic films that have games on CheekyBingo, Jumanji has a slot title that has become very popular on the back of the Jake Kasdan-directed film. The game’s graphics simulate some of the most memorable scenes from the original film, such as the famous stampede and giant plant attack that resonate with fans even 22 years after the original was released. Killing Time previously pointed out that the sequel’s appeal is mainly due to its video game premise, which drew in the console crowd. Plus, it was an action/comedy, a genre enjoyed even by casual moviegoers.

Sony must be pretty confident to schedule the release of the next film just a week before the release of Star Wars Episode IX. But then again, it didn’t stop them from releasing Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle just 10 days before The Last Jedi, as it still achieved box office success.


*This look at the past and future of the Jumanji franchise was written by Sue Williams.

Jumanji Welcome to the Jungle Poster

In Theaters This Week (7/13/2018): Skyscraper, Hotel Transylvania 3, Sorry to Bother You

Hotel Transylvania 3
Each Thursday we look at what is going to be coming out in theaters this weekend, show you the trailers for the big releases, predict the box office winner and just generally give you enough of a carrot to pull you through the rest of the work week.  This week brings an extremely eclectic threesome of new wide releases to theaters Continue reading In Theaters This Week (7/13/2018): Skyscraper, Hotel Transylvania 3, Sorry to Bother You

My Favorite Scene: Jumanji – Welcome to the Jungle (2017) “Strengths and Weaknesses”

Making a “great video game” movie has become an annual rite of failure for Hollywood.  For whatever reason, even games that have great storytelling and visuals on home consoles can’t be adapted competently on to the big screen.  Just this year Tomb Raider and Ready Player One whiffed in trying to translate.  I think the best video game movie currently is actually a sequel to a movie based on a kids’ book: 2017’s Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. 

Welcome to the Jungle uses all the conventions of video games: limited lives, character skills, levels, bosses, NPCs, cut scenes, and more to push the plot along a fast-paced, comedic action roller coaster.  If the plot is thin…..well so are most video games, and every one of the characters is more than aware that they’re trapped within one.  It doesn’t waste time trying to be more than what it is, and mainly the entire jungle serves as a showcase for the movie’s true star: their four leads’ complete and utter dorkiness within their host bodies.  My favorite exploration of the movie/game space is when the four character discover how to read their character’s stat sheets and discover the strengths and weaknesses (mostly weaknesses for Kevin Hart) of their flesh prisons.Jumanji Welcome to the Jungle Poster

Movie Review: Rampage (2018) *Big Meets BAAAAAAD*

Dwayne Johnson in Rampage
Footage of The Rock watching the final cut of the film.

In 1986, there was released an arcade game in which you could play as a lizard, an ape, or a wolf, move back and forth on a static screen of a random cityscape, and beat it to ash.  That….is essentially the entirety of the plot of Rampage the arcade game.  I fed an unholy amount of quarters into that machine, and had fond memories of the arcade game, which naturally required a feature film adaptation.  Given my description of what the plot of the game was, you can see where they might need to add some things to reach a theatrical run time.  I was hoping this was going to be a really fun bad movie.  That was my bar going into the film.  Instead, Rampage is a hyper violent, crass, ball of dumb (yes even by giant animals smash things standards).  It’s not good bad.  It’s just baaaad.


Continue reading Movie Review: Rampage (2018) *Big Meets BAAAAAAD*

In Theaters This Week (4/20/2018): Super Trooper 2, I Feel Pretty, Traffik

Amy Schumer in I Feel Pretty

Each Thursday we look at what is going to be coming out in theaters this weekend, show you the trailers for the big releases, predict the box office winner and just generally give you enough of a carrot to pull you through the rest of the work week.  After two weeks of big releases, this week is the lull before the box office storm that will be Avengers: Infinity War next week. Continue reading In Theaters This Week (4/20/2018): Super Trooper 2, I Feel Pretty, Traffik