‘Jumanji Welcome to the Jungle’ links to Robin Williams character, explains Jack Black

The new Jumanji film, nicknamed Jumanji 2 for a long while, will be called Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and feature and all-star cast: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black and Karen Gillan.

Black, who plays Professor Shelly Oberon in the movie, told The Hollywood Reporter how the late and great Robin Williams plays a sizable role in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, despite his character’s absence from the film.

“We’re exploring this jungle and trying to conquer the game; it’s life or death. But while we’re there, we find clues left behind by [Williams’ character Alan Parrish]. He built up a full-blown jungle house, similar to a Swiss Family Robinson situation. It’s like he’s there helping us without actually being there.”

Fans will be excited to hear Alan Parrish’s name, a direct tie to the original film.

Black also revealed how the sequel stands apart from the original film, they key difference being that Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle takes place, well, mostly in the jungle.

“[In the original] you never got to see the inside world. But this one takes place primarily inside the jungle of Jumanji. That’s the coolest part of the film — we’re able to transport the audience to that secret and wondrous land, with the danger and the beauty.”

Here’s the official synopsis for Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle:

In a brand new Jumanji adventure, four high school kids discover an old video game console and are drawn into the game’s jungle setting, literally becoming the adult avatars they chose. What they discover is that you don’t just play Jumanji – you must survive it. To beat the game and return to the real world, they’ll have to go on the most dangerous adventure of their lives, discover what Alan Parrish left 20 years ago, and change the way they think about themselves – or they’ll be stuck in the game forever.

At CinemaCon footage screened, including a hippo stampede in the footage paid direct homage to the original film. Black’s character, Professor Shelly Oberon, gets eaten and loses a life like in a video game – a very different perspective than the first film as each character represents someone playing the game.

This provokes the group to finish the game to get out and back to the real world.

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle also stars Missi Pyle, and Bobby Cannavale, and is directed by Jake Kasdan.

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle  hits theaters December 20.