Hiram Garcia has spoken up about Jungle Cruise and why the upcoming Disney film was delayed for a year. The film, which is based on Disney's eponymous theme park ride, stars Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt.
While the film was originally scheduled to premiere in July 2020, Jungle Cruise was delayed until 2021, which was first announced in April. It joined a slate of other Disney-produced films that were either delayed or postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, when Jungle Cruise was initially delayed, its July opening was given to Disney's live-action Mulan, which was later moved to Disney+ instead of receiving a theatrical release.
Variety interviewed Hiram Garcia, president of Seven Bucks Productions and close friend of Johnson, who provided insight into Jungle Cruise's delay. Seven Bucks Productions is one of the companies at the head of the project, and Garcia highlights that the film is "one of [his] biggest babies." In addition, he says the film's delay was initially driven by a desire to protect audience members. Garcia also emphasizes that he feels it is "a true big adventure family film," and that it is the type of movie that would embody the spirit of celebration when moviegoers are finally allowed back into theaters. As a result, he states that he was in full agreement with Disney in distancing Jungle Cruise from the pandemic and pushing it until 2021.
Despite his enthusiasm for Jungle Cruise, Garcia doesn't say whether the new July 2021 release date will hold. He acknowledges the ever-changing environment that the pandemic has created and stresses that nobody truly knows what's to come. While he says that his "fingers [are] crossed" that the COVID-19 pandemic has peaked, he cautions that it's impossible to really know. While fans of Jungle Cruise may balk at Garcia's noncommittal answer, he's right in saying that everything is very much up in the air. After all, while myriad films and TV shows have resumed filming, the pandemic is very much still ongoing, which makes Jungle Cruise's release uncertain.
Although Jungle Cruise is currently on hold, Garcia seems convinced that the film will be well worth the wait. With A-list stars such as Johnson and Blunt on board, Jungle Cruise is sure to be a treat, even if it won't make its debut until 2021. Still, while the wait may be frustrating for those who are eager for the action-packed adventure, both Disney and Garcia have the right idea - and it's truly better to be safe than sorry.
Source: Variety
