Jungle Cruise 2 - What We Know So Far
Disney has a long history of adapting its theme park rides for the big screen, and its latest, "Jungle Cruise," is another hit for the House of Mouse. Based on the ride of the same name, the movie stars Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, and Jack Whitehall as explorers who sail deep into the Amazon jungle to find an ancient tree that grows petals with healing capabilities. Naturally, there are some bad people who want the tree's petals for themselves, and they're not above summoning spirits to aid their cause.
"Jungle Cruise" is a pulpy adventure in the vein of "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "Indiana Jones," making it the perfect viewing for the summer movie season. And now that the film has passed the $100 million mark (per The Hollywood Reporter), Disney is officially moving forward with a sequel. But what can viewers expect from "Jungle Cruise 2" when it eventually arrives on their screens?
When will Jungle Cruise 2 be released?
At the time of this writing, a release date for "Jungle Cruise 2" has yet to be confirmed. The movie is in the very early stages of the pre-production process, so viewers will just have to be patient for now. As Radio Times points out, studio blockbusters tend to take around two years to complete, so the sequel could arrive in 2023 at the earliest.
Of course, the production of "Jungle Cruise 2" could be delayed due to the unpredictable nature of the pandemic, as well as the schedules of the film's stars. Dwayne Johnson keeps himself very busy, taking on a lot of roles in tentpole flicks. It remains to be seen if "Jungle Cruise 2" will be his priority now that DC's "Black Adam" has finished shooting. However, chances are he'll want to keep the current "Jungle Cruise" momentum rolling and get the sequel wrapped up while the iron is hot.
Who's in Jungle Cruise 2?
As the "The Hollywood Reporter" notes, Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt are set to reprise their roles as Frank Wolff and Dr. Lily Houghton, respectively, for the next jungle-faring adventure. While his status for the sequel remains unconfirmed, British comedian Jack Whitehall could return as MacGregor, Lily's younger brother who — often against his better judgment — helps his sibling on her dangerous quests. Whitehall is a big name in the U.K, but "Jungle Cruise 2" is an ideal vehicle for continuing to solidify his presence in Hollywood.
While no other casting announcements have been made official at the time of this writing, the first movie did leave the door open to some interesting possibilities. Given that Frank has a history with Aguirre, Édgar Ramírez might be brought back as the ghostly serpentine villain. While the bad guy was turned to stone at the end of the first "Jungle Cruise," Aguirre's backstory with Frank has only been explored briefly, and the film gave us the impression that the former allies have some unfinished business with each other.
Of course, the "Jungle Cruise" ride has a wealth of interesting characters, and the sequel could feature more of them. With that in mind, expect some fresh faces to appear in "Jungle Cruise 2."
What's the plot of Jungle Cruise 2?
Details about the plot for "Jungle Cruise 2" are being kept under wraps for now, but the good news is that the story is in trustworthy hands. Michael Green, who co-wrote the first film, will pen the script for the next installment. Jaume Collet-Serra is reportedly set to return to the director's chair as well.
According to Digital Spy, the sequel could feature a fish-out-of-water story for Frank now that he's been brought out of the jungle and forced to navigate 1920s London. Additionally, "Jungle Cruise 2" could explore MacGregor's story more after he came out as gay in the first film. However, this was only tacitly implied and the word "gay" is never actually said, so perhaps the next movie could be an opportunity to give MacGregor a positive LGBTQ+ love story and spend more time developing his character.
Regardless of the direction "Jungle Cruise 2" goes in, viewers can look forward to another family-friendly adventure that puts the film's heroes in a perilous situation. And with Frank definitely set to play a huge part, he'll undoubtedly have plenty of corny jokes to share along the way.