(Sony Pictures)
Making a good sequel to a beloved movie is hard to pull off, but it’s even harder to get right when the original film’s late star isn’t in it. This is the case with the upcoming follow-up to Robin Williams’ classic ’90s adventure movie, Jumanji. The new reboot/sequel, which stars Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black and Kevin Hart, just released its first trailer, but the preview is not being received well on Twitter by many fans of the original.
The first movie saw Williams’ character get trapped inside a jungle board game as a child. When he’s released more than two decades later, he’s forced to play again, and inadvertently lets the animals of the jungle loose in the real world. Based on the preview for the upcoming sequel, titled Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, there are quite a few changes from the original concept.
The reboot trades in a magical board game for a retro video game, and reverses the plot of the original by having four teenagers sucked into the jungles of Jumanji. There’s also a body-swap element, as once inside the jungle, the teens inhabit the characters from the game. But much like last year’s Ghostbusters reboot, which was also released by Sony Pictures, fans aren’t too happy about the idea of continuing a franchise without the original cast.
One person tweeted, “Someone bring back robin williams from the dead because that new jumanji trailer is a fu**ing disgrace.” Another fan offered, “This Jumanji reboot is gonna flop so hard and it looks nothing like Jumanji.” And one user said, “Here’s that Jumanji sequel no one asked for because it’s not just the cartoons from your childhood that Hollywood loves to ruin.”
Another person ranted, “Leave Jumanji alone everything doesn’t need a fu**ing remake. I’m sick of this rehash remake reboot bullsh*t.” Referring to another one of Johnson’s 2017 reboots, one person said, “I just watched the Jumanji 2 trailer and boy does it look worse than Baywatch and I’m not sure how that’s possible.” And another person bluntly stated, “F**k that new jumanji trailer.”
Meanwhile, one fan wrote, “The new #Jumanji looks unoriginal with it’s generic action fest and mediocre humor. Thanks, but I’d rather watch the REAL one again.” Another Twitter user added, “That Jumanji trailer is an abomination.” And one person posted a GIF from Williams other ’90s hit, Mrs. Doubtfire, in which his character is giving the middle finger. There were dozens of more similarly angry tweets. It should be noted, both Johnson and Black have said in recent interviews that the sequel both pays tribute to Williams and honors the legacy of the original. Like it or not, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle hits theaters December 20. Watch the first trailer below.
