Actor Dwayne Johnson has officially announced that production has started on the highly anticipated Dwayne Johnson Jumanji 3, describing it as a “massive, fun, heartfelt adventure.” The new film’s production kicked off recently in Los Angeles, marking a fresh chapter for the franchise.
Cast Reunion Marks Beginning of Filming
Alongside Johnson, key cast members including Kevin Hart, Jack Black, and Karen Gillan gathered for their first table read, signaling the official start of the project. Johnson shared multiple photos from the session, reflecting on the moment with heartfelt emotion.
Feels emotionally appropriate for our beloved Jumanji franchise to end on this beautiful grace note of our final film. Amazing to get the whole gang back together, and our jaws were hurting from laughing so hard.
— Dwayne Johnson, Actor
The previous two Jumanji movies were filmed in diverse locations such as Hawaii and Atlanta, while this third installment is being filmed in Los Angeles. Jake Kasdan returns as director, continuing his role after helming Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and Jumanji: The Next Level. The movie is set for release during the upcoming Christmas season.
Tributes and Returning Characters
Dwayne Johnson also revealed a special easter egg tied to his character, Dr. Smolder Bravestone: the character will wear a necklace made of dice, referencing the original 1995 Jumanji film as a tribute to the late Robin Williams who starred in the first movie.
Actors Alex Wolff, Madison Iseman, Ser’Darius Blaine, and Morgan Turner, who played the real-world teenagers in the previous films, are expected to reprise their roles once again. Awkwafina is also set to return, adding to the ensemble cast. The production team includes producers Matt Tolmach, Johnson himself, Dany Garcia, Hiram Garcia, and Jake Kasdan. The screenplay is written by Jeff Pinkner and Scott Rosenberg, who contributed to the earlier installments.
Franchise Background and Evolution
The original Jumanji, directed by Joe Johnston and starring Robin Williams and Kirsten Dunst, debuted in 1995 and introduced audiences to a magical safari game that escapes into reality. The franchise expanded with an animated series from 1996 to 1999, and later a spin-off, Zathura: A Space Adventure, in 2005.
In 2017, the series was rebooted with Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, which shifted the storyline to a group of teens trapped in a video game avatar world. Its sequel, Jumanji: The Next Level, was released two years later in 2019. The upcoming third film will continue this modern take, promising to conclude the story with the original core cast.
