'Jumanji': Here's when a remake is arriving in theaters
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Molly Driscoll Staff writer
The 1995 film 鈥淛umanji鈥� is reportedly officially being remade.
Sony Pictures recently that a new version of the story will be released in December 2016. It joins 鈥淩ogue One,鈥� the 鈥淪tar Wars鈥� film, and 鈥淭he Greatest Showman on Earth,鈥� a movie about P.T. Barnum starring Hugh Jackman, in that month.
The original version of 鈥淛umanji鈥� starred Robin Williams, Kirsten Dunst, and Bonnie Hunt. In the movie, Alan (Williams) has been living inside a board game of Jumanji for many years. He鈥檚 released when two children begin playing it, but various wild animals are coming out of the game as well.
鈥淛umanji,鈥� which is based on the book of the same name by Chris Van Allsburg, did very well at the box office, coming in seventh domestically for the year.
Along with the upcoming movie 鈥淕oosebumps,鈥� which is scheduled to be released this October and is based on R.L. Stine鈥檚 children鈥檚 series of the same name, a new version of 鈥淛umanji鈥� seems to be aimed at younger moviegoers. Many successful films aimed at children are currently animated, like Pixar or Disney animated films, unlike "Goosebumps" or "Jumanji."
In the top-grossing movies of 2014, the first 20 mostly consist of films aimed at teens like "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay 鈥� Part 1" or superhero movies that could be too violent for younger kids, depending on parents' guidelines. Young moviegoers are represented in the top 20 highest-grossing 2014 movies by animated films like "Big Hero 6" and "The Lego Movie." Recent live-action films for younger kids like 2014's "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day" and 2012's "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days" did fine but weren't breakout hits. 2011's "The Smurfs" was a hit, but its fellow children's movies in the top 20 for the year are animated fare "Cars 2," "Kung Fu Panda 2," "Rio," and "Puss in Boots."
Recent movies that could be considered for the whole family have trended darker and scarier 鈥� for example, the "Harry Potter" movie series has a lot of battles. This is changing a bit with new Disney live-action adaptations like this year's hit "Cinderella," however.
As for films being marketed more towards kids, with the success of the 鈥淕oosebumps鈥� books and the good reputation of the first 鈥淛umanji鈥� film, perhaps they can both bring in young moviegoers.
