It’s been more than 20 years since the 1995 action adventure, Jumanji so obviously it’s time for a Hollywood remake, but hopefully it’s a great Hollywood remake. The movie machine that is Hollywood has definitely produced some of the biggest piece of crap reboots imaginable, but then again, they’ve come up with some damn fine ones, too.
With the new Jumanji on the way, starring The Rock and a handful of other great cast members, we’ve got a feeling that, even without the late great Robin Williams, it probably won’t suck. And if you don’t believe us, here’s a good number of reasons why. The film is set for a December 20, 2017 release.
10 Reasons Why the ‘Jumanji’ Reboot Probably Won’t Suck
So while people are a tad annoyed that Hollywood is turning yet another classic into a reboot, the ten reasons above at least give us some hope that this film will be good. And while no current actors can touch the talent that Robin Williams had or brought to this film, there is a chance that this film will at least bring the magic of Jumanji to a new generation.
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Reasons Why Jumanji Won't Suck
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The Rock brings the action.
Has he ever done you wrong? Don’t answer that (pointing at G.I. Joe: Retaliation). Believe it or not, The Rock has been around the movie scene for nearly a decade now, not including his wrestling background dating back 20 years. His general appearance and personality make him an unlikely replacement for Robin Williams, but in a way, it’s pure genius considering his wide range list of past characters.
Photo: Sony Entertainment
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Kevin Hart supplies the comedy.
Did you not see Central Intelligence yet? Anything The Rock lacks in terms of comedy, little guy Kevin Hart has covered. This reimagining of My Giant with Hollywood’s biggest guy and smallest guy teaming up is the epitome of hilarity just thinking about it. You have two guys who couldn’t be more polarized unless you buddied up Jesus Christ with Donald Trump, but that wouldn’t be very funny, now would it? Actually, I might be onto something there…
Photo: New Line Cinema
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Jack Black is a veteran comedic actor for the male cast trifecta.
In terms of excellence, Johnson and Hart are relatively new to movie stardom in terms of big budget comedies, but that’s where Jack Black comes in. As far back as Saving Silverman and Shallow Hal, let alone his extensive comedic touring with Tenacious D, we’re used to Black and his wild antics. The three of these guys together is like the original Ghostbusters, except in the jungle with a hot girl. Three scientists, armed to the teeth with a diverse lineup of big comedy and little comedy, will definitely make our greatest comedy trios.
Photo: Francis Specker/CBS (Getty)
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Karen Gillan is an absolute babe in the promo photos.
It’s like a much hotter Bryce Dallas Howard and a much more exciting Jurassic World when it comes to the idea of Karen Gillan from Guardians of the Galaxy as our female lead. Just look at the promo photo, and you know we’re in for some trouble if we take our girlfriends to this movie.
Photo: Miko Lim/Esquire (Getty)
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At least two more big roles will show up.
The original film only had three major roles, but according to The Rock, the major Hollywood reboot will have five main characters. So far, they’ve added “Jumanji Juniors” Alex Wolff (The Standoff) and Ser’Darius Blain (Footloose remake), along with the young, adorable and — can we say sexy? — in addition to…
Photo: Getty Images
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Madison Iseman is set to appear.
She may be young, but she’s 19 and on a roll lately in the movie world. We went gaga over her when she made a brief appearance recently on Modern Family, but now Iseman is taking off with films, including Wild for the Night and the upcoming Laid in America. She has ten roles listed for 2016 alone, along with a recurring role on Still the King.
Photo: Mike Coppola/CMT (Getty)
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Jake Kasdan is at the helm.
Although most of his directing credits are in TV, Kasdan directed a number of episodes of Freaks & Geeks nearly two decades ago, along with some of the best New Girl episodes. In terms of short film experience, he made Orange County with Jack Black nearly 15 years ago, so they’ll be rekindling an old flame, and his work on 2011’s Bad Teacher earned him an attached role with the upcoming sequel.
Photo: Getty Images
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Chris McKenna wrote it.
His film screenplays are just now getting picked up, but they must be good if his first two are Spider-Man: Homecoming and the new Jumanji. McKenna has written a number of episodes for a few different series, mostly mainstream shows like Community and American Dad, so you know he’s got his finger on the comedic pulse.
Photo: Kevin Winter (Getty)
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More focus on action and imagination.
Instead of replacing Robin Williams and failing miserably to match his performance, The Rock has said the new film will be completely reimagined while staying true to the original in some way. While it’s hard to tell how it might, the new film seems to be shaping up into a fun adventure with an amazing cast and a young, talented crew.
Photo: Sony Pictures Entertainment
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It will pay tribute to Robin Williams and his character, Alan Parrish.
Most importantly, The Rock assured us that the late Williams will be honored in the film, including his role as Alan Parrish. That’s all anybody can ask, if they’re going to make another big stinking movie, but we feel pretty good about it not sucking too terribly. The film is set for July 28, 2017.
Photo: TriStar Entertainment
