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It’s easy to question why Disney would ever attempt making a big budget movie based on their Jungle Cruise park ride… until you remember the PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN films were the exact same thing. That said, JUNGLE CRUISE seems like a bit of harder sell, even with a blockbuster star like Dwayne Johnson headlining the cast. Add their new Mary Poppins, Emily Blunt, into the mix, and you’ve certainly got enough star power to get audiences interested. At first glance, the trailer below reminded me of THE MUMMY movies with Brendan Fraser, and it does seems like they’re going for that lighthearted adventure tone. I also couldn’t help but appreciate that the boat Johnson runs is basically a fake adventure grift for seemingly wealthy passengers… art imitates life. But as you’d expect, Blunt’s character enlists Johnson’s help to go a real serious adventure in the Amazon, looking for the Tree of Life, and action follows. I’ll be honest, the initial trailers weren’t doing much for me, but I also didn’t think the new JUMANJI trailers looked that good, and that film was a giant hit. JUNGLE CRUISE is directed by Jaume Collet-Serra (THE COMMUTER), written by Michael Green (BLADE RUNNER 2049), and also stars Jack Whitehall, Paul Giamatti, Edgar Ramírez, and Jesse Plemons. This was yet another film that got pushed back multiple times thanks to Covid, and is now finally coming out. Check out the newest trailer and tell us what you think in the comments.
Inspired by the famous Disneyland theme park ride, Disney’s “Jungle Cruise” is an adventure-filled, rollicking thrill-ride down the Amazon with wisecracking skipper Frank Wolff and intrepid researcher Dr. Lily Houghton. Lily travels from London, England to the Amazon jungle and enlists Frank’s questionable services to guide her downriver on La Quila—his ramshackle-but-charming boat. Lily is determined to uncover an ancient tree with unparalleled healing abilities—possessing the power to change the future of medicine. Thrust on this epic quest together, the unlikely duo encounters innumerable dangers and supernatural forces, all lurking in the deceptive beauty of the lush rainforest. But as the secrets of the lost tree unfold, the stakes reach even higher for Lily and Frank and their fate—and mankind’s—hangs in the balance.
Born and raised in Dallas, Mark has been a movie critic since 1994, with reviews featured in print, radio and National TV. In 2001 he started the Entertainment section of the Herorealm website, where he contributed film reviews and celebrity interviews until 2004. After three years of service there, he started Bigfanboy.com, which has become one of the Dallas film community's leading information websites. Bigfanboy hosts several movie screenings in the Texas area, and works closely with film and TV studios and promotional partners to host exciting events and contests. The site also features a variety of rare celebrity and filmmaker interviews, and Bigfanboy.com regularly covers the film festival circuit as well. In addition to Hollywood reporting, Mark has worked for many years as an advertising and sci-fi/comic book artist. Clients have included Lucasfilm Ltd., Topps Trading Cards, The Dallas Mavericks and The Dallas Stars. From 2002 until 2015 he managed the Dallas Comic Con, Sci-Fi Expo and Fan Days events in the DFW area. He currently catalogs rare comic books and movie memorabilia for Heritage Auctions, and runs the Dallas Comic Show conventions, but remains an avid moviegoer and cinema buff. 
