News of a tribute in the Jumanji franchise to the late Robin Williams has struck an emotional chord with fans. In a recent interview, speaking to People at the Golden Globes First-Time Nominee Celebration, Dwayne Johnson spoke about the upcoming fourth instalment in the franchise. Johnson reflected on the film and shared how the cast and crew contributed to honouring the beloved actor in a special way. He disclosed that it was born out of his own desire to honour Williams. "It was my idea to honour him in some way, and I didn't know how to do it," Johnson said. The actor also revealed that costume designer Laura Jean Shannon suggested using the dice from 1995's Jumanji—an idea that ultimately made its way into the movie.
In November, Johnson shared a video offering a glimpse of the tribute. The clip revealed an Easter egg to his character, Dr Bravestone. The dice from Jumanji is used in the upcoming film as a symbol of respect to Williams.
Joe Johnston's Jumanji, starring Williams and Kirsten Dunst, launched the fantasy franchise, which later expanded into an animated television series that ran from 1996 to 1999 and a spin-off film, Zathura: A Space Adventure (2005). The series was revived in 2017 with a film titled Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, directed by Jake Kasdan and starring Johnson. It also has a sequel, Jumanji: The Next Level, which was released in 2019. Jumanji: The Next Level ended on a cliffhanger that signalled a return to the franchise's roots. In its climax, animals originating from the video game go to Earth, unleashing chaos on the streets as the principal characters observe them from a cafe.
