Sony will not be making another film in this franchise without the presence of its A-list talent, so it might be time for Dr Smolder Bravestone, Ruby Roundhouse and friends to make their way — Enchanted-style — into the world outside of their video game home. We’ve seen these actors play teenagers and pensioners inhabiting the avatars, so it will be interesting to see how the avatars’ personas shake out without a player pulling the strings.
Even the extravagant action set pieces in 6 Underground featuring people doing grand parkour feats, falling from great heights and surviving, and walking away from car chases without getting so much as a scratch, feels more like something out of a Justice League adaptation than the smaller-scale grittier fights you’d find in, say, a John Wick movie. Although Michael Bay has never directed a movie based on a comic book, key qualities of 6 Underground make this title something that certainly feels like the filmmaker’s first foray into the world of comic book movies.
Whatever happens, it’s impressive that Jumanji has risen from its improbable roots to become a reliable Hollywood cash cow with a sizeable amount of creativity lurking beneath the hood.
The inevitable fourquel — though an announcement is not yet forthcoming — looks set to explore a wider canvas and merge the adventurous world of Jumanji with the reality of the 21st century.