A film production crew is in Hilo for location filming on “Jumanji,” a sequel to the 1995 movie of the same name starring the late Robin Williams and Kirsten Dunst. ADVERTISING A film production crew is in Hilo for location
A film production crew is in Hilo for location filming on “Jumanji,” a sequel to the 1995 movie of the same name starring the late Robin Williams and Kirsten Dunst.
A waterfall site in Papaikou was a hub of activity Wednesday afternoon, with crew members offloading Klieg lights from production trucks and security personnel maintaining the perimeter in a utility vehicle.
The movie, which is set for release around Christmas 2017, stars Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Jack Black and Nick Jonas and is directed by Jake Kasdan. Most of the filming took place during the past two months on Oahu, but a call by the local unit of Screen Actors Guild for Hilo stand-ins went out earlier this month, with descriptions of the four individuals sought matching the physical dimensions of Johnson, Hart, Gillan and Black.
“The production will be filming on the island for several days this week,” publicist Carol McConaughey said Wednesday. “It’s a small scene that’s filming on the island.”
McConaughey declined to provide further details, including which actors are on the Big Island and the film’s budget or economic impact to the community.
According to the International Movie Database website, the movie’s plot revolves around explorers “looking for the humankind game that had ended up in a mystical jungle.” Johnson said last year the film is neither a reboot nor a remake of the original, but a sequel and a tribute to Williams, who committed suicide in 2014.
Johnson’s role is Dr. Smolder Bravestone. A concept art poster of the buff, 44-year-old action star has him decked out in an Indiana Jones-inspired costume with the caption “The smoldering Dr. Bravestone.” He shared the poster on Instagram and wrote, “This is gonna be fun” and “can’t wait to ‘play the game that plays you.’”
Johnson spent part of his youth in Hawaii and attended McKinley High School in Honolulu. During an interview last month with “Good Morning America,” he said he wanted to film in Hawaii to help the local economy.
“On a personal level, for me to be able to come back to Hawaii, my Polynesian culture, this is the place where I grew up,” Johnson told the ABC-TV morning news program in a satellite interview from Honolulu. “I got in a lot of trouble here when I was a kid trying to stay on the right path, and just to be able to come back these days, with who I am today and bring a movie like this, this size and magnitude to Hawaii. The jobs that it creates for all the hard-working locals is such a cool thing.”
“Jumanji” is the second film co-starring Johnson and Hart. The first was the 2016 action comedy “Central Intelligence.” Disney’s 3-D computer-animated feature “Moana,” with Johnson as the voice of the demigod Maui, is set for release Nov. 23. In post-production for 2017 release is a movie version of the long-running television series “Baywatch,” with Johnson as lifeguard Capt. Mitch Buchannon. David Hasselhoff, who played Buchannon on the small screen, will appear in the film, although his role hasn’t been announced.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
