The trailer for Jumanji: Open World just dropped, and I have to be honest—I thought it was rough.
For me, the jig is up on this franchise.
That’s not coming from someone who hated the last two movies, either. I actually really liked them. The first Jumanji reboot was one of the biggest surprise hits of the last decade. It had a clever premise, great chemistry between the cast, and almost made a billion dollars worldwide. The sequel wasn’t far behind, proving this wasn’t just a one-hit wonder. It became a legitimate blockbuster franchise.
But that was in 2017 and 2019.
It’s now been years since we’ve seen these characters, and I think the magic has worn off.
The entire gimmick of watching Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, and Karen Gillan play awkward teenagers trapped inside video game avatars was hilarious when it was new. That was the hook. But after nearly a decade, it just feels tired. Watching this trailer, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’ve seen these jokes a hundred times before.
The biggest red flag? I didn’t laugh once.
For a franchise that’s always balanced action with comedy, that’s a terrible sign. A trailer doesn’t have to spoil every joke, but it should at least make me smile. This one didn’t.
Instead, it looks like the series has leaned even harder into CGI spectacle. Now the video game characters are in the real world, acting like NPCs while giant animals run loose everywhere. It just feels louder and more chaotic rather than funnier or more creative.
I also think the timing hurts.
The last movie came out in 2019, and these first two films arrived only two years apart. This one feels like it took forever to materialize, almost as if everyone got busy and then suddenly decided, “Hey, let’s make another Jumanji.” That long gap has made it harder for me to care about these characters or this world.
Then there’s Dwayne Johnson. It feels like he’s spent the last several years cranking out one generic blockbuster after another. I know he showed last year with The Smashing Machine that he wants to be taken more seriously as an actor, but this just feels like another big, effects-heavy studio movie that doesn’t offer anything new.
The release date also makes me wonder.
Yes, Christmas is usually a great window for a big family blockbuster, and the previous Jumanji movies thrived there. But this one is arriving just a week after Dune: Part Three and Avengers: Doomsday. That’s a lot of competition for audience attention, even during the holidays.
Could I be completely wrong?
Absolutely.
The Jumanji movies have overperformed before, and Christmas has been very kind to this franchise. Maybe audiences will show up in huge numbers again.
But based solely on this first trailer, I came away thinking this has bomb written all over it. I didn’t laugh, I wasn’t excited by the action, and the central gimmick that once made these movies feel fresh now feels completely played out.
Hopefully, the next trailer changes my mind.
Right now, though, I’m not seeing it.
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