Emily Blunt compares her character in Jungle Cruise to Indiana Jones. Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, Jungle Cruise is Disney's live-action adventure based on the Disneyland ride of the same name, an attraction that recently garnered criticism for its insensitive depiction of Indigenous elements. Originally scheduled for a release last summer, the film was pushed back an entire year due to the coronavirus pandemic. It will now premiere day and date in theaters and on Disney+ Premier Access on July 30.
Jungle Cruise packs a lot of star power in its two leads, Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson. After starring as the titular nanny in 2018's Mary Poppins Returns, Blunt will return to the Mouse House for an action-adventure alongside one of the genre's biggest stars. Jungle Cruise follows Dr. Lily Houghton (Blunt), an early 20th-century explorer who enlists a shady sea captain named Frank Wolff (Johnson) to help her sail down the Amazon in search of the Tree of Life, which is believed to possess magical healing powers. Blunt is back on the press circuit ahead of the film's release this summer, and she has a lofty comparison for Dr. Lily Houghton.
In an interview with the LA Times, Blunt compared her Jungle Cruise character to Harrison Ford's iconic bullwhip-wielding archaeologist, Indiana Jones. “She’s Indiana,” she said bluntly. While many have probably thought of this comparison before, Blunt may be the first to say it publicly. She went on to elaborate on the similarities between Indy and her Jungle Cruise character:
She’s Indiana. She’s this slightly reckless, galvanized personality who throws herself into danger headfirst and thinks about [consequences] on the way down. And so there was something really charming and funny about her. She’s the go-getter and he’s this surly, duplicitous, questionable sea captain. He’s the one who’s stuck and she’s not, and I really liked and respected that.
Blunt also discussed how starring in Jungle Cruise satisfied her appetite for action-adventure, which was born out of childhood fascination with the genre:
I grew up completely obsessed with those types of movies: Romancing the Stone, Indiana Jones, ... I just mainlined them. I was sold because it’s this wildly funny, big, event-style movie but at its heart it’s got amazing characters and it’s all about love and the quest for that, really.
Last year, Blunt was primed for a tremendous summer just before COVID hit, as she was in the midst of promoting A Quiet Place Part II, the sequel to the 2018 blockbuster starring Blunt and her husband, John Krasinki. That film had to be postponed and Jungle Cruise eventually was as well. After waiting over a year, Blunt will certainly be in the spotlight this summer with the Quiet Place sequel finally releasing in theaters May 28, followed by her Disney adventure in July.
On the other hand, the subject of Blunt's comparison will also be returning to the spotlight as Indiana Jones 5 is ramping up to begin filming this summer. Ford's titular archaeologist is one of the screen's most iconic heroes, and therefore one of the loftiest comparisons Blunt could have made. Audiences will know for sure if Jungle Cruise delivers on the hype this summer.
Source: LA Times
