Can you hear those drums? After years of escaping the jungle, battling dangerous creatures and figuring out the rules of the world's most unpredictable game, the Jumanji gang is facing a problem they've never had before.
The game is coming to them.
Jumanji: Open World brings Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black and Karen Gillan back for the latest and final chapter of the current Jumanji adventure series. Directed once again by Jake Kasdan, the film is set to hit cinemas on 25 December 2026.
The biggest change in Jumanji: Open World is also the simplest to explain.
Previously, the characters entered Jumanji. In Welcome to the Jungle, four teenagers were pulled into the game after playing an old console, finding themselves trapped inside the bodies of their avatars. The Next Level took that concept even further, sending the players back into the game under very different circumstances.
Now the rules have flipped. The players have escaped Jumanji before, but this time Jumanji breaks free of its console and unleashes its chaos into our world. That means the jungle isn't staying on the other side of the screen. Its creatures, dangers and unpredictable game mechanics are coming into the real world.
It's a neat reversal of the franchise's central idea, while also bringing the series closer to the spirit of the original 1995 Jumanji, where the game's dangers also escaped into the real world.
The familiar faces are one of the biggest reasons Jumanji: Open World feels like a proper reunion. Dwayne Johnson returns as Dr Smolder Bravestone, the powerful and fearless avatar. Kevin Hart is back as Franklin "Mouse" Finbar, while Jack Black reprises Professor Shelly Oberon. Karen Gillan once again plays Ruby Roundhouse.
The wider ensemble also brings back Alex Wolff as Spencer, Madison Iseman as Bethany, Morgan Turner as Martha, Ser'Darius Blain as Fridge and Rhys Darby as Nigel Billingsley. Nick Jonas also returns as Jefferson "Seaplane" McDonough, while Danny DeVito reprises his role as Eddie.
That mix of original players and their larger-than-life avatars has always been central to the franchise's comedy. This time, however, they'll have to deal with the game on entirely different terms.
The first official trailer gives us a glimpse of just how much trouble that creates. Instead of the heroes racing through the jungle, Jumanji's chaos starts invading the familiar world outside it. The contrast is part of the fun: exotic creatures and game-inspired mayhem suddenly have to coexist with everyday life.
The trailer also makes it clear that the film isn't abandoning the franchise's trademark combination of action, comedy and fantasy. There are huge creatures, frantic escapes and plenty of opportunities for the returning cast to play against the absurdity of the situation.
The result is a Jumanji adventure with a very different playing field.
Sony describes Jumanji: Open World as the final chapter of the action-adventure series, bringing the current run of films to a conclusion. That gives the Christmas release an added sense of occasion.
Since Welcome to the Jungle reinvented Jumanji around a video-game concept in 2017, the franchise has built its own identity around big action, comedy and the chemistry between its ensemble. Open World takes that formula and turns its central concept inside out.
The characters aren't trying to escape the game anymore -they're trying to stop the game from taking over their world.
A film filled with giant creatures, jungle chaos and large-scale action is made for the cinema. The cinema gives a spectacle like this the scale it deserves, with a big screen and immersive sound putting you closer to the action.
Whether you're planning a Christmas Day family outing or simply want to see how the Jumanji story ends, this is one adventure that's better experienced with an audience.
Use the Ster-Kinekor cinema locator to find your nearest cinema and start planning your trip to Jumanji.
The Jumanji franchise has always been about one thing: the game changes the rules. This time, it changes the biggest rule of all – on Christmas Day 2026, the final level begins.
What is the official Jumanji: Open World release date in South Africa?
Jumanji: Open World is scheduled for 25 December 2026.
Is this movie Jumanji 4?
Yes. Jumanji: Open World is the third film in the modern Jumanji film series, following the original 1995 film, Welcome to the Jungle and The Next Level. It is also being positioned as the final chapter of the current adventure series.
Where can I watch the official Jumanji: Open World trailer?
The first official trailer was released by Sony Pictures in July 2026 and is available through the film's official promotional channels.
Who is returning for the final chapter?
Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black and Karen Gillan return as the central avatar characters, alongside Alex Wolff, Madison Iseman, Morgan Turner, Ser'Darius Blain, Rhys Darby, Nick Jonas and Danny DeVito.
Does the Jumanji: Open World trailer show the game entering the real world?
Yes. That's the central premise of the new film. This time, Jumanji breaks free from its console and brings its chaos into our world.
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