These two are starting to become very familiar with each other. Variety reports that former WWE superstar turned actor Dwayne Johnson and comedic funny man Kevin Hart have been cast in the Jumanji sequel. The comedic duo will tap into their chemistry on screen for a second time in close succession.
The pair joined forces for the 2016 film Central Intelligence, playing an unlikely partnership of high school buddies who link up with the CIA. Alongside Aaron Paul and Jason Bateman, the movie was a smash hit at the box office returning more than four times to original budget of $50m. Though solid returns, the film was a mixed bag with critics.
Jack Black and Karen Gillan Come On Board
Very few details have been released about the picture, with only a release date of July 28th, 2017 locked in with key casting members signing on. As well as Johnson and Hart, Karen Gillan from Guardians of the Galaxy will be the female lead with Jack Black and Nick Jonas attached to form a strong ensemble.
Sony has not released any plot details to ensure that level of mystery in hopes of building excitement as the sequel approaches its release to cinemas. 41-year old Jake Kasdan is set to helm. The director's most notable work lies with comedies such as Bad Teacher and Sex Tape. Both of which failed to resonate with audiences.
Johnson Says Sequel Will Honor Robin Williams Memory
The Rock understands how important it is to respect the legacy left by the star of the original 1995 picture, saying the sequel will do just that.
"The character of Alan Parish will be immortalized in our movie," said Johnson. "That's what a sequel allows us to do, as well as explore a whole new Jumanji universe."
"Also, our continuation story (20 years later) allows us to recognize and pay homage to Robin Williams' legacy in Jumanji."
Giving the most amount of information to the public so far about the movie, Johnson did say the 2017 installment will expand on the number of characters.
"Now there’s five heroes who all bring their own 'strengths and weaknesses' to the game. Of course we have our main antagonist and his bad guys and a fun 'neutral' character as well," explained Johnson.
"One of the best elements from the original and one that we can build on is the animals of Jumanji. That was a such a dangerously fun element of the original movie and of course we had to carry on that tradition."
So what do you think? Looking forward to Johnson and Hart reuniting to relaunch a family franchise?
Comments