The Rock Just Wrapped a Secret Sequel And It’s Coming Way Sooner Than You Think
Dwayne Johnson is about to have a very busy year at the box office, and one of his biggest projects just hit a major milestone.
While all eyes have been on his upcoming return as Maui in Disney’s live-action Moana hitting theaters July 10, Johnson has quietly finished production on another fan-favorite franchise. The untitled Jumanji sequel—marking the fifth entry in the series—has officially wrapped filming, according to an announcement from Seven Bucks Productions.
Johnson will reunite with Kevin Hart and Jack Black for the follow-up to 2019’s Jumanji: The Next Level, slipping back into the role of Dr. Xander “Smolder” Bravestone. The film is already locked in for a Christmas Day release, positioning it as one of the holiday season’s biggest blockbuster bets.
The timing puts the Jumanji sequel in direct competition with Dune: Part Three and Avengers: Doomsday, both arriving December 18. But if history is any guide, the franchise knows exactly what it’s doing—Jumanji releases have built a tradition of owning the holiday window since the original 1995 film.
For Johnson, the project marks a return to familiar territory after a year that saw him take on more dramatic work. His performance as MMA fighter Mark Kerr in The Smashing Machine earned critical praise and a Golden Globe nomination, though it didn’t land the Oscar recognition some predicted. The film took home the Silver Lion at the Venice International Film Festival instead.
Still, there’s little reason to question the strategy. Both Moana and Jumanji rank among the most commercially successful entries in Johnson’s career, and he’s producing both alongside his longtime partners Dany Garcia and Hiram Garcia under the Seven Bucks banner.
The Christmas release date does mean Johnson’s film will share the holiday with a Robert Eggers horror follow-up and a biographical drama starring David Corenswet—but neither targets quite the same audience that’s made Jumanji a reliable box office draw.
For fans who’ve been wondering when they’d see The Rock back in theaters, the answer is now twice before the year is out.
