UPDATE: Deadline has now reported that Sony has pushed back the release date to July 28, 2017, which will hopefully give everyone more time to finesse things.
Hot on the heels of 90’s throwback Goosebumps getting a release in Oz (which I likened to Jumanji in my review), now comes word that a reboot to the 1995 film starring Robin Williams is officially a go at Sony.
They’ve tapped director Jake Kasdan, son of legendary screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan (Raiders Of The Lost Ark, Star Wars: The Force Awakens) and director of Bad Teacher and Sex Tape, to reboot the franchise that kicked off with the well-received Jumanji before spluttering and dying with the under-appreciated (in my opinion) Zathura in 2005. Kasdan will direct a script by Scott Rosenberg and Jeff Pinkner, the latter of whom worked on the studio’s The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Their script is based on a draft by the original Jumanji writers, Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers. The property is based on the award-winning adventure book by Chris Van Allsburg.
I don’t know what to make of this news, the original was always a favourite of mine growing up, so I’m hesitant to support a direct remake of the film, I’d prefer that they went the sequel route if they wanted to extend the franchise. Nothing in Kasdan’s filmography makes me think that he has the chops to pull of something of this size either, but I’m willing to be pleasantly surprised. I’m going to hold off on an opinion until we see some stills or a trailer, but with a release date looming in December of this year, I have a feeling the whole process might be a little rushed.
JUMANJI is scheduled for release in the US on July 28, 2017.