The “Jumanji” movie franchise will be getting the theme park treatment as Sony Pictures Entertainment has teamed up with Merlin Entertainment to bring the ride to theme parks across the world.
Driving the news: Merlin’s theme parks and water parks in Europe, the United Kingdom and North America will add a “Jumanji”-based ride beginning next month, per The Hollywood Reporter.
- The first ride — called Jumanji — The Adventure — will open at the Merlin’s Gardaland resort in Italy.
- There will be “Jumanji”-themed hotel rooms, too.
- A second theme park ride is in development for 2023, per Variety.
The ride: The new “Jumanji” ride will take elements from the latest films — which star Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Karen Gillan and Nick Jonas — and put them into an experience for guests.
- The new ride will “transport guests to the fantastic world of Jumanji, where an exhilarating adventure awaits them: a journey full of pitfalls, surprises and dangers through the wild jungle,” a press release said, according to Variety.
What they’re saying: “Merlin is the ideal company to bring the world of Jumanji to life. Their commitment to strong storytelling, quality of craftsmanship and fantastic guest experiences ensure that fans of Jumanji will be fully immersed into the worlds of our films and have an unforgettable experience,” Jeffrey Godsick, head of location based entertainment at Sony Pictures, said in a statement, per THR.
Worth noting: Merlin runs Legoland, Alton Towers in the U.K., Thorpe Park and Madame Tussaud’s, according to IGN.