The next Jumanji movie has officially begun filming, and Dwayne Johnson is opening production with a moment that hits at the heart of the franchise: a tribute to Robin Williams.
In a new behind-the-scenes video, Johnson revealed that his character will wear a necklace featuring the original dice from the 1995 film, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
“This is the dice from the original Jumanji with Robin Williams,” he said, noting it was his way of honoring “Robin and this entire franchise that he started” as work begins on what he described as their final Jumanji installment.
That emotional nod arrived just as Sony dropped the first cast photo from the upcoming sequel. The image features Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, and Jack Black back in costume and ready to return to the chaos of the jungle.
The caption—“Look who’s on the loose”—marked the first official look at the returning foursome. Hart posted the shot as well, adding, “Back in action and loving it…I missed you Jumanji.…This one will be our biggest!”
Filming is underway in Los Angeles, something Johnson highlighted while greeting fans on the Universal Studios backlot. In his video, he celebrated the rare chance to shoot at home. “So good to be shooting in Los Angeles,” he said. “I have not shot a film in Los Angeles in…I don’t know when.”
The new movie reunites much of the ensemble from the previous two installments. Nick Jonas, Alex Wolff, Morgan Turner, Ser’Darius Blain, Madison Iseman, Lamorne Morris, and Danny DeVito are all set to return to the next chapter of the story.
Director Jake Kasdan, who steered Welcome to the Jungle and The Next Level, is back again, working from a script co-written with Jeff Pinkner and Scott Rosenberg. The film is slated to arrive in theaters on December 11, 2026.
Johnson also shared footage from the recent table read, showing the cast reconnecting before production officially kicked off. “Amazing to get the whole gang back together,” he wrote. “Our jaws were hurting from laughing so hard.”
The modern Jumanji reboot launched in 2017, reinventing the board-game concept as a video game world that sucked in a group of teenagers who reappeared as adult avatars. The film became a global blockbuster, clearing more than $950 million. Its 2019 follow-up crossed $800 million at the worldwide box office.