Jumanji movie set for Christmas release

Sony Pictures has confirmed that Jumanji: Open World will open in theaters on Christmas Day in 2026. The release date places the adventure film in a competitive holiday slot.

The timing follows a busy period for the box office. Mid-December is expected to feature Avengers: Doomsday and Dune: Part Three. The Jumanji sequel is scheduled to arrive the week after those premieres.

Jake Kasdan returns to direct the film. He previously directed the 2019 entry, Jumanji: The Next Level. A new trailer for the movie teases additional body-swapping scenarios. It also includes a reference to the original 1995 film.

The franchise found commercial success after Kasdan reshaped the series with 2017's Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. That film grossed more than $960 million worldwide. The 2019 follow-up achieved similar financial results.

Development for this third installment paused during the COVID-19 pandemic. Work resumed in 2024 after a mid-credits scene in The Next Level hinted at a continuation. In that scene, a repairman played by Lamorne Morris accidentally restarts the game at the home of Spencer Gilpin, played by Alex Wolff.

Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, and Karen Gillan return for the film. The official synopsis calls it the final part of the trilogy. The game escapes its console and brings chaos to the real world. A mystery from the previous film also remains unresolved regarding the identity of the avatar for Jurgen the Brutal, played by Rory McCann.