Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Kevin Hart have been building quite the rapport recently with their projects. They’re co-starring in the action-comedy Central Intelligence this June, and they co-hosted the MTV Movie Awards this past weekend. Now it’s being reported that the duo is planning to team up again for the Jumanji remake.
The two actors are in early talks to lead the remake of the 1995 comedy that starred Robin Williams. Although their schedules are hectic in the coming months, apparently they are slowly approaching a deal. According to Variety, since Dwayne Johnson is currently shooting Baywatch and wrapped up with Fast 8 this summer, the goal is to shoot Jumanji during the fall before Ballers Season 3, as his other upcoming blockbuster, Rampage, might be delayed until 2017. As for Hart, he’s set to star alongside Bryan Cranston in The Intouchables remake during the fall, but it may be difficult working out this part of his schedule. It’s unclear whether to not one of the two would still join the production if the other couldn’t join.
The original Jumanji followed a 12-year old boy, Alan, who was trapped inside a magical board game and was released 26 years later. The updated retelling will obviously keep the board game aspect of it, which means if Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart join the project, their characters will be dealing with all kinds of jungle pandemonium. If these two actors join, we may see the movie delve even deeper into action, though certainly not without plenty of humorous moments. Considering how popular they are in Hollywood right now, their presence would certainly draw moviegoers in who haven’t thought of Jumanji in years or never saw the original. The remake is being directed by Jake Kasdan, while Scott Rosenberg did a rewrite of the script.
While Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart’s work together so far has been at the PG-13 level, the Jumanji remake would provide a chance for the duo to appeal to younger viewers together. Johnson is certainly no stranger to family friendly fare with movies like Journey 2: The Mysterious Island and Tooth Fairy, while Hart is jumping into animation with The Secret Life of Pets in July and Captain Underpants next year. Of course, if this remake decides to go an edgier route and aim for PG-13, then they’ll be in comfortable territory. What I’m wondering now is why those two would jump into the board game. The original Jumanji was basically a rescue mission, so is that the same premise in the remake or are they going in to accomplish something else?
With or without Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart, the Jumanji remake is currently slated for release on July 28, 2017.
