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Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

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Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle
Theatrical release poster
Directed byJake Kasdan
Screenplay by
Story byChris McKenna
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyGyula Pados
Edited by
Music byHenry Jackman[1]
Production
companies
Distributed bySony Pictures Entertainment[2]
Release dates
  • December 5, 2017 (2017-12-05) (Grand Rex)
  • December 20, 2017 (2017-12-20) (United States)
Running time
119 minutes[3]
LandVereinigte Staaten
SpracheEnglisch
Budget$90–110 million[4][5]
Box office$168.8 million[4]

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle is a 2017 American action adventure comedy film[3][6] directed by Jake Kasdan and written by Kasdan, Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, Scott Rosenberg, and Jeff Pinkner, from a story by McKenna. The second installment in the Jumanji franchise, it serves as a standalone sequel to Jumanji (1995), the film stars Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Nick Jonas, and Bobby Cannavale. Set twenty-one years after the first film, the film follows four teenagers who are transported into the video game world of Jumanji, and playing as the characters they chose, must beat the game in order to return home. The film is also a tribute to Robin Williams, star of the original.[7]

Principal photography began in Hawaii in September 2016. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle premiered at the Grand Rex in Paris on December 5, 2017, and was theatrically released in the United States in 3D on December 20, 2017. The film has received generally positive reviews from critics, who called it a "pleasant surprise" and praised the cast, and has grossed $168 million worldwide.[8]

Plot

In 1996, in Brantford, New Hampshire, teenager Alex Vreeke receives the Jumanji board game, found by his father on a beach. When Alex dismisses it, the game magically transforms into a video game cartridge. When he plays it, he is sucked into the game.

Twenty years later, four students in Brantford High School are placed in detention together: Spencer Gilpin, who is writing essays for his former friend, Anthony "Fridge" Johnson (who is also in detention), and Bethany Walker and Martha Kaply have both disrespected their respective teachers during class. Assigned by the school's principal to clear out its basement, the four find Jumanji, now a five-player action-adventure console game. With one of the playable characters (video game avatars) inaccessible, the teens select the others, and are sucked into the game.

They find themselves in a jungle, each now in the forms of their game avatars. Spencer is a tough, muscular explorer named Dr. Smolder Bravestone, Fridge is a short zoologist named Franklin "Mouse" Finbar (whom he had selected upon misreading the name as "Moose"), Martha is a gorgeous commando and martial art expert named Ruby Roundhouse, and Bethany is an overweight, male cartographer named Professor Sheldon "Shelly" Oberon. They soon realize that they are in a video game, and each have three lives. If they lose all three, they will actually die. Each of their avatars also comes with special skills and weaknesses.

They learn from Nigel, an NPC, that the big-game hunter, Van Pelt, wants to obtain a jewel, the "Jaguar's Eye", allowing him to manipulate Jumanji's animals. To escape the game, the players must return it to an enormous jaguar statue and call out "Jumanji". Along the way, the group begins to lose lives through various means. The group start working together to obtain a clue from a snake but are cornered by Van Pelt's men. They are rescued by Alex, the fifth player, whose avatar is a pilot named Jefferson "Seaplane" McDonough. Recuperating in a treehouse built by previous player Alan Parrish (protagonist of Jumanji), Alex learns that he has been in the game for twenty years. They commandeer a helicopter and fly for the jaguar statue to return the jewel.

Arriving at the statue, the players find themselves facing Van Pelt's forces and jaguar guards. Using their resources and teamwork, the players distract the villains while Spencer returns the jewel to the statue and cries out "Jumanji!" The game ends, disintegrating Van Pelt, and the teens reverted to their former selves and returned to the real world, but discover that Alex did not come with them. On their way home, they reveal that the Vreeke household – once the neglected home of Alex's father "Old Man" Vreeke – has been restored. An adult Alex appears; he emerged in 1996, and history was changed. He is now married, and named his oldest daughter after Bethany in gratitude of saving his life before leaving Jumanji.

Spencer and Fridge reconcile, Bethany becomes a better person and makes plans to go backpacking, Martha starts dating Spencer, and the teens are now friends after their experiences in the game. The four hear Jumanji's drumbeats, but they take the game behind the school, and seemingly destroy it with the bowling ball they found in detention.

Cast

Jumanji

  • Dwayne Johnson as Dr. Smolder Bravestone, an archaeologist and explorer who is Spencer's avatar. Bravestone's strengths are courage, reflexes, climbing, smoldering charisma, and boomerang throwing. His only weakness is generosity. He is the archetypically masculine, intelligent, and courageous video game hero of the story.
  • Jack Black as Professor Sheldon "Shelly" Oberon, a cartographer, cryptographer, archaeologist and paleontologist who is Bethany's avatar. Though Oberon's strengths are his fields of expertise, but because of his obesity, his endurance is his weakness.
  • Karen Gillan as Ruby Roundhouse, a commando, martial artist, and dance fighter who is Martha's avatar. Roundhouse is proficient in karate, tai chi, jujutsu and capoeira, and her only weakness is toxins, such as venomous substance from poisonous animals in Jumanji. Similar to Bravestone, Roundhouse is the archetypically intelligent, athletic, beautiful, and scantily clad video game heroine of the story.
  • Kevin Hart as Franklin "Mouse" Finbar, a short zoologist and weapons specialist who is Fridge's avatar. Fridge chose him due to misreading the character's nickname as "Moose". Finbar is Bravestone's weapon valet and is skilled in cranial assault. His weaknesses are cake, strength, and speed.
  • Nick Jonas as Jefferson "Seaplane" McDonough, the avatar of Alex Vreeke. McDonough is a mysterious guide, adventurer, and pilot in the game, who helps the avatars escape Jumanji.[9]
  • Bobby Cannavale as Van Pelt, an explorer seeking to control the "Jaguar's Eye", whose power he is demonically possessed by. Jonathan Hyde played a different version of Van Pelt in the 1995 film. He serves as the antagonist in the world of Jumanji, and thus making him the boss of its video game scenario.
    • Van Pelt is given a different first name in the different regions in which the film was released, "Russel" in North American territories and "John Hardin" in European ones.
  • Rhys Darby as Nigel Billingsley, a guide in the game.
  • William Tokarsky as Trader
  • Rohan Chand as Boy at Bazaar

Reality

  • Alex Wolff as Spencer Gilpin, a nerdy gamer at Brantford High School who goes to detention with Fridge, Martha, and Bethany, for writing Fridge's homework for him; he discovers the Jumanji video game. He later becomes Martha's love interest.
  • Madison Iseman as Bethany Walker, a pretty and popular but self-centered cheerleader at Brantford High School. She has a mobile phone dependency and goes to detention with Spencer, Fridge, and Martha, after talking on her phone during a quiz and displaying an arrogant contempt towards her class in the process.
  • Ser'Darius Blain as Anthony "Fridge" Johnson, a Brantford High School football jock who lacks confidence to succeed academically, and goes to detention with Spencer, Martha, and Bethany for having Spencer write his essays for him.
  • Morgan Turner as Martha Kaply, a shy bookworm at Brantford High School who goes to detention with Spencer, Fridge, and Bethany, for objecting to physical education class and disregarding her teacher as a result. She later becomes Spencer's love interest.
  • Marc Evan Jackson as Principal Bentley, the principal who makes Spencer, Bethany, Fridge, and Martha clean up the basement as part of their detention.
  • Mason Guccione as Alex Vreeke, a teenage boy who played, and was trapped inside, the Jumanji video game in 1996.
  • Sean Buxton as Alex's Father / Jogger #1
    • Tim Matheson as Older Alex's Father (Old Man Vreeke, uncredited)
  • Sylvia Jefferies as Alex's Mother / Jogger #2
    • Virgina Newcomb as Older Alex's Mother
  • Maribeth Monroe as Teacher
  • Missi Pyle as Coach Webb, the gym teacher.

Production

Development

In July 2012, rumors emerged that a remake of the film Jumanji was being developed. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Columbia Pictures president Doug Belgrad said: "We're going to try and reimagine Jumanji and update it for the present."[10] On August 1, 2012, it was confirmed that Matthew Tolmach would produce the new version, alongside William Teitler, who produced the original film.[11]

In August 2015, Sony Pictures Entertainment announced that they had scheduled the film for a December 25, 2016 release.[12] Internet reception to this was negative, with some posters remarking that the announcement came too soon after the death of Robin Williams, who portrayed Alan Parrish from the original film, and had died in August 2014.[13][14] The news was heavily criticized by Bradley Pierce, who played Peter Shepherd in the original Jumanji, as well as by E! News, which stated that they felt that the remake was "unnecessary and kind of insulting."[15][16] On October 23, 2015, Scott Rosenberg was hired to rewrite the script for the film, whose production was a high priority for the studio.[17] On January 14, 2016, Deadline reported that Jake Kasdan had been hired to direct, from a script by Rosenberg and Jeff Pinkner, based on a draft by original writers Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers.[18]

On April 15, 2016, Variety reported that Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart were in early talks to star in the film, though both actors had other projects to shoot, which might have created schedule conflicts.[19] Later in April, Johnson confirmed his casting through his Instagram account.[20] On July 2016, it was reported that Nick Jonas had joined the film's cast, along with the confirmed casting of Johnson, Hart, and Jack Black.[21] In August 2016, Johnson clarified that the film would not be a reboot, but a continuation of the 1995 film,[22] while Karen Gillan was also announced as having been cast.[23] On September 20, 2016, Ser'Darius Blain and Madison Iseman were cast in the film, with Blain playing Anthony "Fridge" Johnson. Following them, on September 22, 2016, Rhys Darby, Morgan Turner, and Alex Wolff joined the cast, with Darby playing Nigel and Wolff playing Spencer.[24][25][26] In November 2016, Bobby Cannavale announced his casting in the film,[27] and in December 2016, Tim Matheson also joined the cast, playing Old Man Vreeke.[28]

James Newton Howard was originally attached to compose the film's score;[29] after the film's release date was pushed back half a year, he was replaced by Henry Jackman.[1]

In March 2017 during CinemaCon, it was announced that the complete title of the film is Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. The plot was revealed to involve teenagers cleaning out a school's basement who find a vintage video game version of Jumanji, and get sucked into the jungle setting of the first film. While many fans theorized whether the film was a sequel or a reboot, the second trailer, which was released on September 20, 2017, revealed that the film takes place over twenty years after the events of the first.

Filming

Principal photography began in September 2016 in Honolulu, Hawaii,[19][30] and wrapped in December 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia.[31]

Release

In August 2015, Sony set the film a release date of December 25, 2016.[32] As filming did not start until September 2016, the release was pushed back a year to July 28, 2017, and then to December 20, 2017.[2]

On November 29, 2017, it was announced Amazon Prime members in the United States would have early access to movie tickets for a single December 8, 2017 screening of the film, at select Regal, National Amusements, ArcLight Cinemas and AMC theaters.[33] The screenings ended up selling out at 1,200 theaters and making $1.9 million.[34]

Box office

As of December 28, 2017, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle has grossed $119.3 million in the United States and Canada, and $49.5 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $168.8 million.[4]

In the United States and Canada, the film was released on Wednesday, alongside The Greatest Showman, and was projected to gross around $60 million from 3,765 theaters in its six-day opening weekend, with the studio predicting a more conservative $45 million debut.[35][36] It took in $7.2 million on its first day and $7.6 million on its second. Over the three-day weekend, it grossed $36.4 million (for a six-day total of $72 million), finishing second at the box office, behind Star Wars: The Last Jedi.[5]

Critical response

On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 78% based on 152 reviews, and an average rating of 6.2/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle uses a charming cast and a humorous twist to offer an undemanding yet solidly entertaining update on its source material."[37] On Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, the film has a score of 58 out of 100, based on 43 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[38] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A–" on an A+ to F scale.[5]

Dave White of TheWrap praised the cast and called the film a pleasant surprise, saying, "Jumanji: Welcome to The Jungle is the Christmas tentpole release that aims to please and succeeds, a funny family entertainment product that subverts more expectations than it was obligated to contractually."[39] David Ehrlich of IndieWire gave the film a "C" and called it unnecessary but mildly amusing: "...Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle is further proof that even the stalest whiff of brand recognition has become preferable to originality. Only part of the blame for that belongs to the studios, but after cannibalizing themselves for much of the last 20 years, Hollywood has clearly eaten their way down to the crumbs."[40]

Writing for Variety, Owen Gleiberman was critical of the film, saying, "Excitement! Suspense! Childlike innocence! Ingeniously staged action set pieces! These are a few of the things you will not find, anywhere, in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle...It's supposed to be a board game come to life, but really, it's just a bored game."[41]

References

  1. ^ a b "Henry Jackman to Score 'Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle'". Film Music Reporter. May 15, 2017. Archived from the original on July 9, 2017. Retrieved May 16, 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Film releases". Variety Insight. Archived from the original on February 18, 2017. Retrieved January 6, 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ a b "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle". British Board of Film Classification. Retrieved December 7, 2017.
  4. ^ a b c "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
  5. ^ a b c Anthony D'Alessandro (December 26, 2017). "'Last Jedi' Now At $99M, 'Jumanji' Huge At $72M+; 'All The Money In The World' Opens To $2.6M – Christmas Weekend". Deadline.com. Retrieved December 26, 2017.
  6. ^ Trumbore, Dave (June 28, 2017). "'Jumanji' Trailer Teaser Reveals a Glimpse of the Rumble in the Jungle". Collider. Archived from the original on July 1, 2017. Retrieved July 1, 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  7. ^ https://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/12/movies/robin-williams-oscar-winning-comedian-dies-at-63.html
  8. ^ "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle is Certified Fresh". December 21, 2017. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
  9. ^ Coggan, Devan (June 29, 2017). "Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black go wild in first Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle trailer". Entertainment Weekly. Time Inc. Archived from the original on June 29, 2017. Retrieved June 29, 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  10. ^ "'Jumanji' Reboot In The Works". Whatstrending.com. Archived from the original on October 24, 2013.
  11. ^ Gallagher, Brian (August 1, 2012). "Jumanji Reboot Lands Producer Matthew Tolmach". Movieweb.com. Archived from the original on December 27, 2014.
  12. ^ "Sony Pictures Dates 16 Films Through 2019!". comingsoon.net. August 5, 2015. Archived from the original on August 7, 2015. Retrieved October 25, 2015. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  13. ^ Hanks, Henry. "They're remaking 'Jumanji,' and the Internet rage is real". CNN. Archived from the original on October 23, 2015. Retrieved October 25, 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  14. ^ Pulver, Andrew. "'Is nothing sacred?': Twitter responds to news of Jumanji remake". The Guardian. Archived from the original on October 25, 2015. Retrieved October 25, 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  15. ^ Mullins, Jenna. "People Are Livid About This Jumanji Remake, and We Don't Blame Them". E! News. Archived from the original on October 29, 2015. Retrieved October 25, 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  16. ^ Faherty, Allanah. "Don't Worry Internet, Star of the Original 'Jumanji' Movie Doesn't Believe Sony Should Reboot the Film Either". Moviepilot. Archived from the original on August 18, 2017. Retrieved October 25, 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  17. ^ Busch, Anita (October 23, 2015). "Scott Rosenberg Comes Aboard 'Jumanji' For Columbia Pictures". deadline.com. Archived from the original on October 25, 2015. Retrieved October 25, 2015. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  18. ^ Fleming Jr, Mike (January 14, 2016). "Jake Kasdan To Helm 'Jumanji' Reboot For Sony". Deadline. Archived from the original on January 15, 2016. Retrieved January 16, 2016. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  19. ^ a b Kroll, Justin (April 15, 2016). "Kevin Hart, Dwayne Johnson Circling 'Jumanji' Reimagining (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on April 24, 2016. Retrieved April 25, 2016. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  20. ^ Evry, Max (April 22, 2016). "Dwayne Johnson Officially Boards Jumanji Remake". ComingSoon.net. Archived from the original on April 25, 2016. Retrieved April 25, 2016. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  21. ^ Jr, Mike Fleming (July 28, 2016). "Nick Jonas In Talks To Join 'Jumanji' Movie". Deadline. Archived from the original on July 29, 2016. Retrieved July 29, 2016. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  22. ^ "Dwayne Johnson Says Jumanji Will Not be a Reboot". ComingSoon.net. August 21, 2016. Archived from the original on August 22, 2016. Retrieved August 22, 2016. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  23. ^ Hipes, Patrick (August 30, 2016). "Karen Gillan Game For Big Role In 'Jumanji' Alongside Dwayne Johnson & Kevin Hart". Deadline. Archived from the original on August 31, 2016. Retrieved August 31, 2016. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  24. ^ N'Duka, Amanda (September 20, 2016). "Sony's 'Jumanji' Adds Two More Players Alongside Dwayne Johnson & Kevin Hart". Deadline. Archived from the original on September 23, 2016. Retrieved September 24, 2016. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  25. ^ N'Duka, Amanda (September 22, 2016). "'Jumanji' Sequel Casts Rhys Darby and Morgan Turner". Deadline. Archived from the original on September 23, 2016. Retrieved September 24, 2016. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  26. ^ Kit, Borys (September 23, 2016). "Dwayne Johnson's 'Jumanji' Sequel Adds 'Naked Brothers Band' Star". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on September 24, 2016. Retrieved September 24, 2016. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  27. ^ Cannavale, Bobby (November 29, 2016). "I'm confused by my costume today #setlife #jumanji". Instagram.com. Archived from the original on January 16, 2017. Retrieved December 6, 2016. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  28. ^ Hipes, Patrick (December 6, 2016). "Tim Matheson On Board For 'Jumanji' Alongside Dwayne Johnson". Deadline.com. Archived from the original on December 22, 2016. Retrieved December 26, 2016. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  29. ^ "James Newton Howard to Score Jake Kasdan's 'Jumanji' Sequel". Film Music Reporter. October 6, 2016. Archived from the original on October 9, 2016. Retrieved October 6, 2016. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  30. ^ "Jumanji Starts Production and The Rock Shares a Set Video". Collider. September 15, 2016. Archived from the original on September 16, 2016. Retrieved September 16, 2016. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  31. ^ ""Jumanji" with Kevin Hart, Jack Black and The Rock wraps in Atlanta". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. December 8, 2016. Retrieved December 9, 2017.
  32. ^ Kroll, Justin (August 5, 2015). "Sony Dates 16 Films Including Two More 'Bad Boys' Sequels, 'Jumanji' Remake". variety.com. Archived from the original on October 13, 2015. Retrieved October 25, 2015. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  33. ^ Tartaglione, Nancy (November 29, 2017). "'Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle' To Swing In Early For Amazon Prime Members". Deadline.com. Retrieved November 29, 2017.
  34. ^ D’Allesandro, Anthony (December 14, 2017). "'Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle' Amazon Prime Sneaks Sell Out Grossing Near $2M". Deadline.com. Retrieved December 15, 2017.
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  38. ^ "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
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  40. ^ David Ehrlich (December 8, 2017). "'Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle' Review: A Robin Williams Relic Is Reborn as a Mildly Amusing Video Game Movie". IndieWire. Retrieved December 9, 2017.
  41. ^ "Film Review: 'Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle'". Variety. December 8, 2017. Retrieved December 9, 2017.
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