While other studios may tremble in fear of directly competing with the mighty House of Mouse at the box office, Sony isn't backing down. In fact the studio, coming off the surprising success of its sequel/reboot Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, now has its sights set on Star Wars: Episode IX.
Speaking to The Wall Street Journal, Sony motion-pictures chief Tom Rothman did a little chest-thumping, while revealing the studio's potential plans for a sequel.
“Sony’s motion-picture business has outgrossed all competitors so far in 2018 thanks to a smash-hit sequel to a 1995 family film," The Wall Street Journal points out.
Although a sequel for Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle has not officially been announced, it's pretty much expected given the successful box office run of Sony's reboot starring Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson. Sony is apparently so confident in their revitalized franchise that the studio is not only full-steam ahead with a sequel, but also willing to put it head-to-head with Star Wars: Episode IX, the third and final film in Lucasfilm's core Star Wars saga. Per WSJ, “Mr. Rothman said he hoped to have a sequel ready around Christmas of 2019, when it will again face off against a new Star Wars.”
Star Wars: Episode IX is due out December 20, 2019, the Friday before Christmas. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle actually opened on December 20, 2017, a week after The Last Jedi hit theaters and the week before Christmas, and that seemed to work out well for the studio. This time Sony may try for the weekend before Episode IX hits theaters in attempt to get the jump on it. Of course, if Rothman is as comfortable with the sequel as he was with Welcome to the Jungle, then a December 20th release isn't out of the question.
“From early on looking at the footage, it was clear this was a Christmas movie families would want to see together,” Rotham said of Welcome to the Jungle. “I thought we could spit in the giant’s eye.”
If Sony can manage that kind of success with a reboot and a fresh cast of characters, who's to say they can't repeat that it now that the groundwork has already been laid.