A remake of Jumanji has been in the works over at Columbia Pictures for a few years now, and they've been taking their sweet time getting it going. Despite a release date set for this Christmas, they've only just now found a director as Jake Kasdan has signed on for the jungle adventure.
Kasdan, who previously directed Cameron Diaz in R-rated comedies Bad Teacher and Sex Tape, will take the helm of the adaptation of Chris Van Allsburg's beloved 1981 book about a board game that magically causes a jungle to take root in a suburban neighborhood. A hit film was released in 1995 that starred Robin Williams and Kirsten Dunst, but it was followed by the flop sequel, Zathura, which is why the franchise is getting a relaunch.
Scott Rosenberg is writing the screenplay, but it's unclear what differences there will be from the earlier film. Perhaps Kasan will look to reunite with Diaz once again? [Deadline]
