There's much we still don't know about the new Jumanji movie, other than that The Rock is pretty pumped about it. While we wait to learn more about the film's plot and other jungle-sized secrets, the final member of the ensemble cast has been found just in time for production to start. Rolling the dice alongside Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black and Nick Jonas will be Karen Gillan, who some may recognize best with a shaved head and covered head-to-toe in blue as Nebula in Guardians of the Galaxy.
According to Deadline, Karen Gillan has been cast in Jumanji after an exhaustive months-long search that apparently involved some hardcore A-list talent. Gillan won out in the end after proving she meshed well with the rest of the cast. The details are being kept under wraps and all that was revealed was that the Guardians of the Galaxy actress will be playing a character named Martha.
Some Jumanji experts might remember that Martha is the mother of Judy and Peter, the children from the original film played by Kirsten Dunst and Bradley Pierce, respectively. Does this mean that Gillan is playing the same character? The timetable for that doesn't really make sense considering that the first Jumanji takes place in 1995, and Gillan is too young to play the same character in 2016. This could hint that there will be flashbacks or that the movie is secretly more of a prequel than a sequel. That, or it's just a coincidence.
Gillan first came onto the scene in Doctor Who as the new companion Amy Pond in 2010. Since leaving the sci-fi show, she's gone on to star in several film roles, most notably Guardians of the Galaxy. She played Nebula, the other daughter of Thanos who had a serious beef with her "sister," Gamora. Gillan is reprising the role in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, where she'll be joining the team this time around. The Doctor Who actress was also the star of the short-lived but underrated ABC comedy, Selfie. Gillan can next be seen in The Valley of Violence as well as the upcoming The Circle.
At first speculated to be a remake or reboot, Dwayne Johnson later set the record straight through social media that the new Jumanji would actually be a continuation of the 1995 film, and would honor the spirit of Robin Williams character. While next to nothing else is known, if I were a betting man, I'd wager the plot will be similar to the first film of having to finish a game of Jumanji years later, with Johnson's character either having been trapped in the game or a resident released to help the players. It'd also be interesting to actually see the jungle hidden inside the board game.
Jumanji will be directed by Jake Kasdan, with the latest draft of the script penned by Scott Rosenberg and Jeff Pinkner. The film is set to begin principal photography next month in Honolulu, so keep checking CinemaBlend for more updates.
