Disney’s anticipated sequel to the action-adventure film “Jungle Cruise” appears to be officially shelved. During a recent interview with *Entertainment Weekly*, stars Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt expressed doubts about the future of the project, stating, “I don’t think so” when asked if a sequel would materialize.
The original film, which was released in July 2021, featured a cast that included Jack Whitehall, Édgar Ramírez, Jesse Plemons, and Paul Giamatti. Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, “Jungle Cruise” followed the journey of a riverboat captain who guides a scientist and her brother through a treacherous jungle in search of the mythical Tree of Life while facing threats from a German expedition and cursed conquistadors.
In reflecting on the status of the sequel, Johnson elaborated on the impact of Disney’s leadership changes and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the film industry. 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 supported Johnson’s assessment, adding that Disney’s decision not to pursue a sequel was ultimately acceptable, stating, “They did not want to set sail again, and that’s fine.”
The original “Jungle Cruise” was met with mixed reviews and ultimately underperformed at the box office, grossing approximately $221 million globally against a production budget of $200 million. Despite this, the film generated an additional $66 million during its first month through the now-defunct Disney+ Premier Access strategy.
As of now, it appears that Disney is shifting its focus towards other projects, leaving fans of the original film to wonder what might have been with a sequel to “Jungle Cruise.”
