Filming is underway on Jumanji 4, which is set to close out the beloved action/comedy film series. The film also reunites the cast of the most recent films, with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Jack Black and more returning. This experience seems to be particularly special for Johnson, who’s not only looking ahead to what’s come before but also paying homage to the past. The A-lister specifically honored late franchise star Robin Williams amid production, and he explained how that loving nod came to be.
Over a month ago, Dwayne Johnson shared a set video on Instagram, in which he showed off a deep-cut trinket. Johnson revealed that his necklace contained the original dice featured in the franchise’s original 1995 movie, which the late Robin Williams, of course, headlined. The wrestler-turned-actor, who plays Dr. Xander "Smolder" Bravestone/Spencer Gilpin in the film series, spoke to People about the Easter egg, and it turns out he got a keen assist in making it happen:
It was my idea to honor him in some way, and I didn't know how to do it. And our costume designer, L.J. [Laura Jean Shannon] … goes, ‘What if I got the original dice [from the first movie]?' And that's what happened.
Actors, directors and screenwriters get a lot of credit when it comes to filmmaking, and deservedly so. However, The Rock’s story is a good reminder that on sets, craftspeople are, in many cases, the real MVPs. Using the dice from the OG flick was such a great idea on Laura Jean Shannon’s part, and the finished prop looks great. This is a great example of what happens when sheer skill, nostalgia and affection combine to create something excellent. Take a look at the dice for yourself in the clip below:
The creation of that sweet memento isn’t the only way in which Johnson has sought to honor Alan Parrish actor Robin Williams, who died at 63 in 2014. Johnson honored Williams and the cast and crew of the original movie with a video posted on December 15, which marked 30 years to the day that Joe Johnston’s fantasy flick opened in theaters. The actor also shared his favorite moment from the ‘90s movie, which is when Alan bravely confronts obsessed hunter Van Pelt despite being terrified.
Based on what’s been shared thus far, that same level of love and enthusiasm has permeated the Jumanji 4 set. The cast has been mixing it up again, and everyone even got together to celebrate Karen Gillan’s birthday. All the while, Kevin Hart has been hyping up his stunt men, while The Rock has been greeting fans visiting the Universal lot. In short, this sounds like a fun and positive set to be on.
Considering that this will be the final Jumanji movie, I’m wondering if the producers have plans to honor Robin Williams in other ways. There’s a brief nod to Alan Parrish in 2017’s Welcome to the Jungle, but I wonder if the character’s legacy might play into this latest installment in a more substantial way. We’ll have to wait and see if that happens but, for right now, I think the cast and crew are doing Williams proud already. See the currently untitled film when it hits theaters on December 11 as part of the 2026 movie schedule.
