Guardians of the Galaxy alum Karen Gillan has capped off Sony’s casting spree for next year’s Jumanji movie, with Deadline confirming that the Scottish actress has agreed terms to star opposite Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black and Nick Jonas in the Jake Kasdan-directed pic.
Billed as a continuation of the original 1995 adventure film – itself based on Chris Van Allsburg’s beloved novel – and absolutely not a reboot, Gillan has landed the coveted role of Martha, a role that had attracted some top-tier talent across the four corners of Hollywood. It was the Doctor Who star that ultimately clinched the deal, though, after her budding chemistry with Johnson and Co. reportedly impressed the Powers That Be over at Sony.
Little is known about the core premise for now, but with principal photography due to commence in Honolulu in the coming weeks, expect further details – and possibly set photos – to surface online very soon indeed. Jake Kasdan is at the helm for this Jumanji flick, directing from a script hashed out by Scott Rosenberg and Jeff Pinkner. They were the brains behind the most recent draft, tailoring an initial pitch from Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers.
Sony will unleash a whole new wave of family-oriented fun when Jumanji checks into theaters on July 28, 2017. Gillan will be on screens before that, though, thanks to her role in James Gunn’s galactic sequel, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. It opens on May 5, when the actress will reprise her role of Nebula.