Who was Robin Williams? Dwayne Johnson wraps up ‘Jumanji’ 3 with heartfelt tribute
Following an interesting turn of events, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson recently took to his Instagram page to announce that 'Jumanji 3' had finally completed production, four months after the cameras first started rolling. Alongside Johnson, the upcoming third film in the 'Jumanji' reboot franchise stars Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, and Jack Black. The movie is helmed by Jake Kasdan, who previously directed the other two movies in the franchise, i.e., 'Jumanji: The Next Level' and 'Welcome to the Jungle'.
Apart from confirming the completion of the production process and revealing the Christmas 2026 release date, Johnson's post also expressed gratitude for the opportunity to star in the threequel. He wrote, "I’m a grateful and lucky sob to have had a front row seat to witness this insanely talented cast showcase their comedy chops combined with heart and mana across this 10-year+ long adventure." He then thanked Kasdan, whom he called his friend, and added that working with him had been one of the best experiences of his life. The post also included a heartfelt tribute to the late actor and comedian Robin Williams, who starred as Dr. Smolder Bravestone in the 1995 original 'Jumanji' movie.
Johnson himself plays the character once portrayed by Williams, and wrote, "And lastly, to Robin Williams ~ this finale is for you. The character of Dr. Smolder Bravestone was my absolute honor to play in your spirit with the deepest respect, love, and JOY 🎲 🕊️ 🤎." It is a known fact that Johnson has been steadily building on the nostalgia surrounding the original movie and was previously spotted at Universal Studios' backlot in November last year. In an Instagram video released back then, Johnson was seen pointing out his necklace and revealing, "As you see, a little Easter egg for Dr. Bravestone. This is the dice from the original Jumanji with Robin Williams, as a show of respect and a way of honoring Robin and this entire franchise he started as we film our very last Jumanji, the big finale." He also expressed his happiness at being able to shoot the film in Los Angeles.
In terms of the plot, the upcoming movie will serve as a direct continuation of 'Jumanji: The Next Level'. The original 1995 movie was based on the 1981 children's book by Chris Van Allsburg. Kasdan's direction is based on a screenplay he wrote in association with Scott Rosenberg and Jeff Pinkner. In addition to the aforementioned stars, the upcoming 'Jumanji' movie also stars Alex Wolff, Morgan Turner, Ser’Darius Blain, Nick Jonas, Lamorne Morris, Danny DeVito, and Madison Iseman.
