Disney’s anticipated sequel to the action-adventure film “Jungle Cruise” appears to be unlikely to move forward, with lead actors indicating that the project may be effectively dead. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, stars Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt expressed their doubts about the continuation of the franchise, both stating, “I don’t think so.”
The original “Jungle Cruise,” released in July 2021, featured a star-studded cast, including Jack Whitehall, Édgar Ramírez, Jesse Plemons, and Paul Giamatti. Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, the film followed a riverboat captain navigating a jungle in search of the mythical Tree of Life, while contending with a German expedition and cursed conquistadors. Despite its adventurous premise, the film faced challenges at the box office.
In the same interview, Johnson elaborated on the reasons for the project’s halt, citing changes within Disney’s leadership and the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. He noted, “I think when Disney came under new leadership, they just shifted coming out of COVID. COVID shifted our business in a lot of ways. I think they looked at that property and thought, ‘We did it once, not sure if we should revisit it again.’”
Blunt echoed this sentiment, commenting that the studio “did not want to set sail again, and that’s fine.”
The original film grossed approximately $221 million worldwide against a production budget of around $200 million. Additionally, it earned an extra $66 million in its first 30 days through the now-defunct Disney+ Premier Access strategy. This financial performance has likely influenced Disney’s decision-making regarding future installments.
As of now, both Johnson and Blunt’s comments suggest a definitive pause on the potential for “Jungle Cruise 2,” marking a turn in Disney’s strategy for its film properties. The future of this particular franchise remains uncertain as the studio recalibrates its focus in a post-pandemic landscape.
