Jack Black admits that he is uncertain about his place inJumanji 4. Black has been a main actor in the franchise since he was first introduced in the second movie,Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle(2017). He starred as Bethany Walker, alongside Dwayne Johnson (Spencer Gilpin), Kevin Hart (Fridge), Karen Gillan (Martha Kaply), and Rhys Darby (Nigel Billingsley). He reprised his role inJumanji: The Next Level(2019), and he is expected to be involved inthe upcomingJumanji 4, which is tentatively scheduled for a June 03, 2025, release.
In an interview withDeadline, however, Black opened up about his role in the nextJumanjiwhen asked if he’ll be returning for a third film:
Jack Black: Well, we’ll see. I hope so.
Deadline: Have you shot that yet?
Jack Black: No. No. I don’t believe that. I’ll believe that when I get to set.
Deadline: Do you have any idea when that might be?
Jack Black: No. In fact, my feeling is always, ‘I’ve already done my last film. I’m pretty sure I’m done. I’m pretty sure I’m retired.’ I’ll let you know if someone pulls me out of retirement, but it’s been a great, great ride.
While he expressed that he would like to return,he is not certain that he will be involved in the sequeland believes that he has already finished his last movie. He hopes that he will be cast in the nextJumanji, as it has been “a great ride”, but he is not entirely sure and will not believe it until he is actually on set. Check out Black’s short interview below:
What Jack Black’s Uncertainty Means For Jumanji 4
This Is A Break From Previous Comments
Director Jake Kasdan, who directed bothWelcome to the JungleandThe Next Level, previously stated thatevery major star would return totheJumanji 4cast, which makes Black’s comments concerning. There had never been any indication that the stars would be exiting the franchise, especially when it has seen such immense success at the box office. Neither of the two sequels has grossed below $800 million, and the chemistry between the cast members is crucial to that success. Check out the chart below, which shows the box office trend for theJumanjimovies:
$65 million
$100 million
$162 million
$263 million
$29 million
$36 million
$90 million
$405 million
$558 million
$963 million
$125 million
$320 million
$481 million
$802 million
While there was a considerable decline with the 2019 release, whichearned $161 million lessthan the originalJumanjirevival, it was not substantial enough to entirely disrupt the next movie’s development. The COVID-19 pandemic and the cast’s other obligations limited the filming window, which resulted in a seven-year delay between movies. Regardless of the delayed production, however, the rest of the cast have insisted that it will eventually come. Black’s hesitation could be proof that the optimism was misplaced, but it could also indicate Black’s reticence about the future of his career in general.
Our Take On Black’s Jumanji 4 Hesitance
The Long Delay Is Contributing To His Concerns
Six years afterThe Next Levelwas released, it is natural for Black to have some concerns. The movie has already been penciled in for a release date, which is quickly approaching, and Black still has not heard from the cast or crew. His career is not in danger, as he seems to be implying, as he is set tostar inA Minecraft MovieandAnacondain the foreseeable future. HisJumanji 4future remains in doubt, however, as the movie has been trapped in development hell for years, and even he cannot see any means of escape.
