You may have thought it was all some sort of joke, but it’s really happening folks. A Jumanji reboot is likely to exist before our very eyes in the very near feature. After an update last month that Columbia was considering a reboot of the film, things are moving fast over at the studio, with The Amazing Spider-Man producer Matt Tolmach hired to take on the project. [Variety]
As a fan, albeit in my childhood, of the Joe Johnston 1995 family flick and the sort of wacky Robin Williams-led fun it brought, it actually doesn’t seem like the oddest of properties to get a reboot. The boardgame side of the story is popular (just look at Battleship and the upcoming Ouija), effects have improved and children are in need of some fare with a bit of a scary edge — don’t tell me you weren’t terrified each new monstrosity was released at the roll of a die.
As Sony’s Columbia longtime co-head of production, Tolmach recently found major financial success with The Amazing Spider-Man, as it nears a $700 worldwide gross. I was mixed on his take, as it felt a little too by-the-numbers, but along with original producer William Teitler, let’s hope the studio finds the right talent for this update. Check out the trailer of the original film below.
Are you a Jumanji fan? Who could you see directing this update?