This last July Columbia Pictures president Douglas Belgrad announced that the studio is considering a Jumanji reboot. Well, this was a small mention, but true. Now we’ve learned that Zach Helm will get the first crack at the script.
Chris Van Allsburg’s 1981 children’s book ‘Jumanji’ was first adapted into the big screen in 1995, directed by Joe Johnston. The family adventure starred Robin Williams, Bonnie Hunt, Kirsten Dunst, Bradley Pierce, Jonathan Hyde, Bebe Neuwirth, David Alan Grier and Patricia Clarkson. In it, a little boy finds a board game called Jumanji, which causes jungle plants and creatures to invade a quiet American suburb. Dunst and Pierce starred as the two kids who discovered the game, and Williams as the man who’s trapped in it.
In 2005, Jon Favreau directed some kind of space age semi-sequel called Zathura, which starred Kristen Stewart and Josh Hutcherson.
We have also learned this past summer that the project will be updated for the present and that Amazing Spider-Man producer Matt Tolmach came on to guide the production along with Bill Teitler.
Now comes word that Ted Field, executive producer on the original, will act as executive producer on the remake along Mike Weber.
Zach Helm’s most recent screenwriting gig was Ben Stiller’s The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.
The Jumanji remake currently has no release date, so stay tuned for more news on it.
And, check out the Zathura trailer below.
Source: THR
