The original plan for a Jumanji sequel sounds absolutely bonkers, and I can’t decide if it would have been amazing or a complete disaster. According to Jumanji author Chris Val Allsburg, the sequel would have been titled Jumanji: The White House, and it would have kicked off with the final shot of the original movie, where two girls find the game on the beach. But get ready for this – it turns out that beach is actually France’s Omaha Beach, and the President of the United States is there visiting for an anniversary commemoration of D-Day. And what does he bring back with him? You guessed it – the Jumanji game and all the chaos it can generate. And where does all this chaos unfold? In the White House, of course. I mean, come on, where else would it happen?
But wait, it gets even weirder. The sequel would have brought back the beloved Robin Williams as Alan Parrish, but not in the way you might expect. Instead of reprising his human character for the whole movie, he would have only needed to show up for four or five days of filming. The rest of the time, we would have been treated to the sight of a loudmouthed toad, voiced by Williams himself, causing all kinds of trouble. Can you imagine? Robin Williams, world-renowned comedian and actor, reduced to playing a chatty amphibian. It’s so ridiculous, it’s almost brilliant.
And let’s not forget the CGI extravaganza that was promised. According to Val Allsburg, the movie would have been an excuse to cram in every type of CGI effect that had been developed since 1995. Animals swapping body parts, a gorilla climbing the Washington Monument – it was shaping up to be a digital spectacle of epic proportions. Plus, there was talk of a homage to King Kong thrown in for good measure. I don’t know about you, but I think I would have paid good money to see a gorilla scaling one of the most iconic landmarks in Washington, D.C.
So why didn’t this ambitious sequel come to fruition? Well, it turns out that one of the producers had the good sense to recognize that the whole thing was a bit…well, looney. As Val Allsburg put it, “The only thing that would keep them from making this is a better idea.” And thank goodness for that, because it turns out that a talking toad voiced by Robin Williams wasn’t quite the stroke of genius they were hoping for.
In the end, we got Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and The Next Level instead, and I can’t say I’m too disappointed. But part of me can’t help but wonder what might have been. Could a Jumanji sequel featuring a chaos-ridden White House and a wisecracking toad have worked? Would audiences have flocked to see it, or would it have been a colossal flop? One thing is for sure – it would have been a sight to behold.
So, what do you think? Would you have been on board for Jumanji: The White House, or do you think it’s better left in the realm of “what could have been”? Let us know in the comments, and remember to thank that talking toad for giving us Zathura instead.
