Like Pirates of the Caribbean before it, Jungle Cruise is based on one of Disneyland's most famous theme park rides. It's not easy to create a narrative that actually works with a project like this one, but director Jaume Collet-Serra manages to make it look effortless (you can find that out for yourselves by watching the movie in theaters or on Disney+'s Premier Access now).
Talking at the global press conference for Jungle Cruise, Dwayne Johnson explained what it was about this project that spoke to him, specifically in regards to the attraction itself.
Well, nostalgia. I would say nostalgia," he admitted. "I had ridden the ride when I was a kid. Many moons later, I went to Disney World for the first time and rode the ride then as well. It had a nostalgic element to it when it was first presented to me, but also, really the opportunity we had [to] create something that was hopefully unique and special."
"You hope to get lucky in a career where you have an opportunity like this where you can make a movie that's based off an iconic ride that's beloved with the most trusted brand in the world when it comes to family and delivering entertainment for families," Johnson continued. "There were a lot of those elements that really spoke to me and it started with the script, and it started with our director."
"Jaume is a worldbuilder," he said of the filmmaker who he reunited with for DC's Black Adam. "We wrapped this movie I think in 2018, and since then, Jaume has been working on it. He's edited [and] cut this movie. Black Adam as well. We feel like he's Hollywood's best kept secret."
Clearly, Johnson is confident in Collet-Serra as a collaborator and that bodes well for their next project. Jungle Cruise features a lot of fun nods to the ride, and if you've ever been on it - whether it's in Orlando or California - you'll know that means heaps of funny(?) one-liners.
In our review of the movie, we described Jungle Cruise as a "fun family blockbuster that reminds us why we love going to the movies," and with the option to watch it both on the big screen and at home, there's really no excuse not to hop aboard and check it out this weekend.