Jack Black says he’s retiring, which means Jumanji: The Next Level may be his last movie. For decades now, Black has made a name for himself by being the sort of actor who can entertain audiences on numerous different levels. Known for the most part as a comedic actor, Black’s impressive range remained relatively unknown to the greater public until his 2003 role as failed musician turned substitute teacher Dewey Finn in School of Rock. The film was a massive success - so much so that it has since gone on to become adapted into a TV series as well as a hit Broadway musical.
From that point onward, Black’s reputation as a comedic actor as well as a talented musician grew, and although he formed his band Tenacious D alongside fellow comedian Kyle Gass in 1994, the duo began to really experience notoriety in the mid to late 2000s. By 2006, Black and Gass had released a feature-length film called Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny, pairing this with a second full-length album of the same name. Today the band continues to thrive and Black has amassed an extensive list of acting credits, with numerous hit films to his name.
With Black’s most recent film Jumanji: The Next Level set for wide release in a matter of days, the 50-year-old actor/comedian/musician took the time to sit down and chat with website Balance. During the interview, Black revealed Jumanji: The Next Level could very well be his final hurrah as an actor and that retirement was a definite possibility for him in the near future. In addition to joking about staring in Quentin Tarantino’s final film (which may or may not be Star Trek), Black also insisted he would play a Tenacious D show the likes of which have never been seen before. Said Black:
“Well, I’ve got another Tenacious D record that I’d like to make. Maybe one more movie. I’m kind of enjoying the idea of early retirement. Not so early. I’m 50.I’ve been saying for a long time that this is the last movie. We’ll see. I can’t really say what my next thing is because it’s too early; it’s a jinxer. I’ve got a couple of tricks up my sleeve. But not too many. I’m looking to wrap it up pretty soon. Ride off into the sunset.”
Exactly why does Black think it might be time to call it quits? It all comes down to family and wanting to spend more time with his two children, Thomas and Samuel, as well as his wife, Tanya. He further explained this motivation by saying:
“Yeah. That is a big part of it. I don’t like going away from Tanya and the boys. I spend too much time away from home. Maybe I’ll do a TV show here in town, so I can work the 9 to 5 and then get back home. We’ll see. I’m not a big five-year plan kind of guy though. I don’t really look down the road. I kind of take it day by day. And if something comes up, you know, obviously if [Quentin] Tarantino comes a-knocking, I’m gonna do that movie!Tarantino likes to talk about doing his last movie too. He says there’s only one movie left. It might be Star Trek. It might be who the hell knows? Maybe I’m going to pull a Tarantino and say, ‘Guys. I’ve done 99 movies. I’m going to do one more. Gonna go out on top!’”
And as far as Tenacious D’s future is concerned, Black said:
“Look, I’m going to star in the final Quentin Tarantino movie and then I’ll ride into the sunset. Me and Quentin, riding off! Quentin hasn’t offered me the role yet, but I’m pretty sure it’s coming. And then I’m going to ride off into the sunset directly to London. A Tenacious D concert the likes of which have never been seen. And at that point, backstage, I plan on seeing you there and our high 5 will be filmed on IMAX. It will be the high five heard around the world!”
Whether or not Black’s retirement will be happening any time soon is anyone's guess, however. Celebrities are often notorious for announcing their retirement only to not stick to it - names such as Steven Soderbergh, Shia LaBeouf and Alec Baldwin all come to mind. But if Black does make good on his claims, Hollywood will indeed have lost a true talent. Time will tell what Black intends to do, but for now, there’s still ample opportunity to see the comedian on the big screen in Jumanji: The Next Level.
Source: Balance
