Jack Black says new Jumanji will feature tribute to Robin Williams

June 19th 2017, 10:06am

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

Robin Williams left behind such a tremendous canon of films for all kinds of audiences to enjoy, but if you’re a child of the 90s then JUMANJI most likely ranks high on your list. The upcoming sequel, JUMANJI: WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE, will have a tough time topping the original, but according to star Jack Black the movie will do it’s best to honor it and Williams, particularly in one special way.

Black was speaking with THR during a press event, and he explained how Williams’ character from JUMANJI – Alan Parish – has a role to play in this movie as well, offering the new gang clues and tips on how to survive in the jungle, after being trapped there himself for decades:

We’re exploring this jungle and trying to conquer the game; it’s life or death. But while we’re there, we find clues left behind by [Williams’ character Alan Parrish]. He built up a full-blown jungle house, similar to a Swiss Family Robinson situation. It’s like he’s there helping us without actually being there.

For those who can recall, Williams’ character was sucked into the magical board game when he was a child, only to be let back out decades later – along with the rest of the dangers the game held. WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE teams Black’s Professor Shelly Oberon up with Dwayne Johnson’s Dr. Smolder Bravestone, Kevin Hart’s Moose Finbar and Karen Gillan’s Ruby Roundhouse as they try to survive similar perils the game holds, which means we could see some similar animal faces and trappings.

As much as I want this film to carve out its own identity so it doesn't seem like it's copying the classic original, I think it’s very admirable to include something about Williams that also adds some depth to his character from the original. We never saw what his life was like inside the jungle, and with this movie we'll finally get to see a glimpse at how he survived so long. Plus, adding such detail goes a long way in showing that WELCOME will work as an extension to the original film as opposed to a reboot/sequel that will try to top it. Needless to say that would be a battle this movie cannot win.