Chris Van Allsburg’s award-winning 1981 illustrated children’s book, Jumanji, was the basis for the family-friendly, supernatural adventure film of the same name. Released in 1995, it starred Robin Williams (alongside a young Kirsten Dunst) under the direction of Joe Johnston – who’s perhaps better known nowadays for directing Jurassic Park III and Captain America.
Jumanji overcame mixed reviews to gross $263 million in theaters, eventually giving rise to a board game spinoff (based on the story’s namesake) and an animated TV series. While the long-rumored sequel never happened, a reboot/remake is now apparently in the cards (… yay?).
Columbia co-head Douglas Belgrad dropped the tidbit about a new Jumanji movie during a talk with The Hollywood Reporter, where he also dropped juicy tidbits about Amazing Spider-Man 2, Men in Black IV and 21 Jump Street 2. The plan is to “try and reimagine ‘Jumanji’ and update it for the present.”
Allsburg’s Jumanji book has a simple premise: hijinks and adventure ensues after some children begin to play a jungle-themed supernatural board game. Johnston’s film adaptation (based on a screen story co-written by Allsburg) doesn’t expand on the source material’s mythology, but does incorporate additional characters into the mix. Both versions of Jumanji are pretty timeless stories and nothing about them really feels “outdated” - unless you count the scene where Dunst’s character identifies the present year as 1995 (or the CGI effects, which are admittedly kind of shoddy by today’s standards).
Kirsten Dunst, Robin Williams, and Bradley Pierce in 'Jumanji'
That’s all to say: a new Jumanji movie doesn’t read as a project with potential to feel like a true reinvention of Allsburg’s original concept, once it’s been updated for a 21st century context (unlike, say, the RoboCop and Carrie remakes). The final product will probably unfold as little more than a shinier rehash of what’s been done before, with the sort of added touches one expects from a generic family movie nowadays (see: pop culture references/product placement in The Smurfs).
To be fair, though, we’ve yet to learn anything about what creative personnel is going to be recruited for the Jumanji remake/reboot (or whatever their approach will be). So who knows? Maybe this writer will be eating humble pie at the end of the day – assuming the project even comes to fruition (we’ll see about that, as well).
Anyone interested in a new Jumanji movie? Let us know in the comments section.
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Source: THR
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Wasn’t Zathura enough for you, Hollywood?
Zathura came after Jumanji…Jumanji came before Zathura…get the difference?
jamanji needsto be left alone. I read the book when I was a kid and the movie came out soon after and I saw the movie and it was almost exactly how I imagined it in my head. I think Robin Williams did a remarkable job and a remake of this movie would just leave people disappointed.
terrible idea, almost as bad as another Men in Black. Are sequels and remakes all that we have to look forward to now?
wow, they must really be scraping the bottom of the barrel if this is the next remake. Don’t get me wrong, the Jumanji movie was really good and is among my favorites, but the movie wasn’t THAT popular that it warrants an update/remake, does it?
I loved this movie growing up. They can’t remake it!!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
remaking a good movie doesn’t make it better! it takes away from the original for the next generation of viewers. my 4 yr old granddaughter loves this movie. if it gets remade in some modern poor version, the younger ones will probably never see the first one….how sad. Everytime they remake a movie I love or keep doing sequels, it ruins it. there are enough writers, write something new and leave the old stuff alone.
Yes yes yes, please remake. I love the movie and would love to see the second. Hoping that robin Williams is in the second as well
I don’t know. The original is, of course, a classic and a remake might be interesting with the updated cinematic technology – but my question is, can they really keep the wonder and magic of the first one; especially with Robin Williams in the lead role as he was…
I WOULD BE SO HAPPY IF YOU REMADE JUMANJI!!!!! I WAS JUST WATCHING IT TODAY AND THATS WHAT BROUGHT ME TO THIS PAGE BECAUSE I WAS HOPING THAT SOMEONE WOULD REMAKE IT!
Just watched the movie again and still love . I would rather seeaequl than a remake
Jumanji is a great movie alone.
A Jumanji 2 would be great, if they had the same actors (As older selves)
and the same plot with a few twists.
Then again, it would be less amusing.
I would prefer a sequel. The first one is amazing.
What a crappy idea! Get more fresh ideas hollywood!
Finishing the game?
I would like for them to make a part 2 with the same people in the 1st movie..It was really good, make one now with them grown and they all get together and go through it again…..
If they made a new Jumanji Movie, that’d be great, we’ll just have to wait & see what happens and who’ll be in it? Hopefully, it’s the Original Cast from The 1st Movie, but a New Cast would be just as good.
Omg…seriously, Hollywood. Just stop! Enough remakes!!!!!! Think up something original for once. IT’S NOT THAT HARD!!! Leave this awesome movie alone! You already screwed up Fright Night and Halloween and many others. And god knows how you’re gonna mutilate Carrie when it comes out this year. Isn’t what you’ve already horribly remade damaging enough??? Are you guys really that stupid??? Why don’t you give me a job at a studio. I can think up hundreds of ORIGINAL stories off the top of my head!!! LEAVE JUMANJI ALONE!!! GET YOUR OWN IDEAS! STOP STEALING OTHER PEOPLE’S WORK!!!! IT’S PATHETIC!
I love this movie and I thought to myself, when is this movie going to be remade? It’s going to happen sooner or later! it’s a perfect movie for an upgrade!
Well, I may not be sure if I’ll be able to see this remake or not, but since the producer of the original film is working on it, I might as well.
While I am always disappointed by sequels and all in all am not a fan of them, I am excited to see how the remake of this would be. This was one of my favorite movies growing up, I still watch it with my brothers and sisters and their wives. A lot of the kids shows and movies today fall short of what we had growing up, so I am eager to see how it will turn out.
Side note: Currently watching the Jurrassic Park sequel. Probably one of the first of many sequel let downs that led to my bias, but it’s still better than what’s in tv right now.
A REMAKE SOUNDS AWESOME..
Seriously, those who say it’s a terrible idea, you haven’t even seen the outcome so how could you say that. Plus, it will not destroy anyone’s childhood because it’s just a remake, you can always watch the old one anytime you wish.
With regards to the remake, maybe they could add a little twist and please hire a better actor on the Young Robin Williams. A cameo of actors from the original movie would be nice as well. In the end, I know film makers know better at most times. Good luck.
I would like a a sequel, that’s begin where it finished, with the jumanji box in the beach..
Love te movie jumanji, always be hopping for a part two to come out. But now we have 3D so it would make it so much cooler and graphics are way better (CGI) then 1995..”and as always get a nice girl with a rockin body.. but yes I think a part to would be an alone idea.. comedy suspense action, and syfy can’t beat it…
We should take this to Facebook and see how many votes we get, to see if people think its a great idea..
We should take this to Facebook and see how many votes we get, to see if people think its a great idea.. find me on Facebook “frankperezruizjunior@yahoo.com
i think a new movie about jumanji would be great. not a remake but a new adventure…. think about it….
jumanji is a Classic and Fantastic because of it, and it would always be a Great film, as Robin Williams is hilarious and rich with humor as he always is, but since Columbia co-head Douglas Belgrad is already considering a Reboot of jumanji, Just Keep The Plot of The Original but here is a General idea for The Cast just keep in mind it is only Fan-made and not the actual cast, and here it is Zac Efron as The Young Alan Parrish with Brendan Fraser as Alan Parrish,Kirsten Bell as Young Sarah Whittle with Samantha Mathis as Sarah Whittle, Hugh Laurie as Sam Parrish: Alan’s father with Gena Davis as as Carol-Anne Parrish, Alan’s mother. and all I got so far. if u like this help yourself to browse.