Colin Hanks wasn’t credited for his small role as the adult Alex Vreeke in ‘Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle’, but at any rate, he’ll be back for the follow-up. But of course, that is all that is known. While speaking to The Hollywood Reporter about his four-season dramedy ‘Life in Pieces’, he did confess:
“I’m not allowed to discuss or confirm or deny anything involving the Jumanji sequel. With the exception of, I am in it.”
Actually, he did reveal a little more, specifically that he didn’t get to join the rest of the cast in Hawaii, where the sequel is filming.
“I got to shoot all my stuff in Atlanta. Since I was one of the characters that existed outside of the game, I don’t get the plush, tropical locale.”
Hanks’ character, Alex Vreeke was a teenager in the 1990s (played by Mason Guccione), who had been trapped in the ‘Jumanji’ video game in the decades since, although to him, very little time seemed to pass. He took shelter in the hut built by Alan Parrish (Robin Williams’ role in the 1995 original). Once the four main characters played the game to completion, they and Alex were sent back to the time when they were trapped. As a result, teenage Alex grew to adulthood in the form of Hanks, who named his daughter Bethany after “the girl who saved” his life, and later met the others who were still teens.
Inside the game, Alex was embodied by Nick Jonas as ace pilot Jefferson “Seaplane” McDonough. Jonas is also confirmed to be returning.
Almost the entire original cast is returning for the sequel including, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Dwayne Johnson, and Jonas as the in-game avatars, plus Ser’Darius Blain, Madison Iseman, Morgan Turner, and Alex Wolff as the real world teen players. Rhys Darby returns as Nigel Billingsley, the NPC game guide. New cast members include Awkwafina, Danny DeVito, Danny Glover, and Dania Ramirez.
Jake Kasdan who directed ‘Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle’ is also back to helm the followup.
The new ‘Jumanji’ movie opens on December 13, 2019.
