The anticipation for Jumanji 4 is sky-high after Kevin Hart's latest promising update.
2019's Jumanji: The Next Level received high praise from fans and critics, leading many to wonder if a fourth movie is in the works. The film serves as a follow-up to 2017's Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, which arrived as sequel/reboot to 1995's Jumanji starring the late Robin Williams.
Jumanji: The Next Level's post-credits scene confirmed that the story is far from over, meaning that its all-star cast of Dwayne Johnson, Karen Gillan, Kevin Hart, and Jack Black is poised to return for a fourth movie.
Will Jumanji 4 Happen?
Speaking with Variety on the red carpet for the 2023 Oscars, Kevin Hart discussed the idea of reuniting with Dwayne Johnson in Jumanji 4 and a potential new project.
When asked when fans can expect a Hart and Johnson teaming up, the actor said that they are "going to have to do it soon," teasing that they talked about getting "the ball rolling on some big ideas:"
"We’re going to have to do it soon. I talked to him the day before yesterday. Right now, we got the ball rolling on some big ideas."
When pressed by Variety to tease what to expect, Hart confirmed that he spoke with the WWE legend about Jumanji 4 while also saying that they are figuring out their "final chapter" as a duo:
"We’re talking about, of course, another 'Jumanji.' That’s been a conversation. [We’re] just figuring out the thing that can act as what would or could be the final chapter of he and I. We feel we need something big to put our duo to an end and not just leave it undone like something that we can say, ’this is going to be our last and final movie."
Variety then asked Hart what kind of project they are thinking about, to which the Die Hart actor replied by saying that his next partnership with The Rock could be "another franchise" or "something big:"
"We’re talking about it. It could be another franchise. It could be something big. but [we’re] trying to figure out what that thing is. That’s the focus point right now."
In Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and Jumanji: The Next Level, Kevin Hart portrayed Franklin "Mouse" Finbar, a character from the game who is a zoologist and weapons carrier with a weakness for cake.
Jumanji: The Next Level producer Hiram Garcia previously confirmed with Collider that a follow-up to the 2019 movie is "definitely going to happen," pointing out that they have a "great take on what we're going to do for the next movie:"
“Jumanji is definitely going to happen. Obviously Jake Kasdan is directing ‘Red One’ [upcoming Prime Video holiday movie], so right now he’s working on that. But we have a ton of Jumanji conversations. We actually have a great take on what we’re going to do for the next movie. So I know in talking with Jake, once he comes clear of Red One, that’s going to be his next priority for him and that’s something we definitely want to make."
Meanwhile, Kevin Hart's co-star, Karen Gillan, shared with The Hollywood Reporter, via Movieweb, that it remains to be seen when the cast will reunite to create Jumanji 4:
“I don’t know. I think we are going to make another film, but the question is when. That’s what nobody knows yet.”
What Will Be Jumanji 4’s Story?
Kevin Hart's latest update about Jumanji 4 indicated that the movie is far from its filming stages. Given that Jumanji: The Next Level director Jake Kasdan is still busy with Red One (a Christmas movie featuring Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans), work for Jumanji 4 could still be further down the line.
Still, the fact that Hart has spoken with Johnson recently about Jumanji 4 could indicate that the pair is brainstorming story ideas for the movie.
In Jumanji: The Next Level's post-credits scene, the game's animals were released into the real world. This would mean that Jumanji 4's story will likely merge aspects of Earth and the game similarly to how the first movie did.
Given that the game's animals are now unleashed on Earth, this would also mean that the four main avatars are also present, presenting an exciting possibility of them teaming up with their real-world counterparts.
Doing this allows Jumanji 4 to have a unique story that sets it apart from its predecessors.
All three Jumanji movies are available for home release, and there is no confirmed release date or production schedule for Jumanji 4.
